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Book '^^7 



Copyright}]^. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



BY THE SAME AUTHOR 

THE LITERATURE OF CHECKERS 

A description of all the books, pamphlets, and magazines devoted to 
the game from 1756 to the present day; giving current value of all 
rare or scarce works; 227 entries. Cloth, $1.00. 

"A magnificent and painstaking contribution to draughts literature." — 
Suffolk Chronicle, England. 

R. D. YATES, CHECKER PLAYER 

An intimate biography of the greatest of checker players; covering 
anecdotes, opinions, methods, triumphs, all his games in full; inci- 
dentally a history of checkers in America. Cloth, $1.00. 
"We have rarely read so engrossing a work." — The Umpire, Man- 
chester, England. 

THE SAFE CHECKER PLAYER 

Vol. I. — The Black Side. Devoted exclusively to play; showing a 
safe course to the player who starts the game, however his opponent 
may attack him at any point. Leather, vest-pocket size, 50 cents. 

Vol. II. — The White Side. A companion volume; showing a safe 
course to the second player, however his opponent may start the game 
or carry out the attack. 

"These little books contain the essence of many volumes of published 
play, and are invaluable as a short but thorough equipment for the 
practical player." — Draughts World. Glasgow, Scotland. 

ELLSWORTH'S CHECKER BOOK 

A book for beginners; arranged according to suggestions of the late 
Charles Ellsworth, the professional blind checker player. Paper^ 25 
cents. 
"Contains, in addition to much that is entertaining, some of the most 

valuable instruction on the rudiments of the game that is to be found 

in any treatise." — Newark Advertiser. 

VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

This book. S2.00. 

ROUND SQUARE CHECKER BOARDS 

Flat and seamless; about one half the area of the board demanded 
by the Standard Laws, with the same size plaWng space; surface of 
friction fabric, exceedingly durable. By mail, 50 cents. 
See \'ocabulary. 

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ally in use." — Richard Jordan, Edinburgh, Scotland, Champion Checker 
Player of the World. 

THE LITTLE GRAMMAR 

Original in every way — new in design, new in method, new in doc- 
trine. Large type. Cloth, 50 cents. 

"To get into thirty-five pages a practically complete English grammar, 
which covers all the irregularities of the English tongue, and sets the wan- 
derer right when he goes astray grammatically, is truly an achieve- 
ment. Mr. Call has done a remarkable work in this grammar." — Butte 
Inter Mountain. 

"It comprehends all there is to grammar." — Brooklyn Eagle. 
"It epitomizes in thirty-five pages of concentrated wisdom all a boy 
would be expected to digest from a volume of 350 pages in the regular 
school course." — Albany Argus. 

C. M. POTTERDON 

DEALER IN CHECKER BOOKS HAWTHORNE. N. J. 

General Sales Agent for W. T. Call 



VOCABULARY 
OF CHECKERS 



Jl Dictionary of Words, 
Terms and Phrases Used 
in the Game Called Check- 
ers, or English Draughts 



BY 

WILLIAM TIMOTHY CALL 



^P ^^ ^P 



NEW YORK. 1909 
Price. $2.00 



GO o'^ 



Copyright, 1909, By WILLIAM TIMOTHY CALL 



SCHLUETER PRINTING CO. 
NEW YORK 



©CI.A253270 



PREFACE 

The words, terms, and phrases explained in these 
pages were obtained chiefly from the 227 separate works 
on the game of checkers that have been printed in 
EngHsh in the period of a httle more than a century 
and a half, extending from 1756 to the present time. 
Each magazine, regardless of the number of volumes 
issued, is here counted as one work. The sources of 
information are thus more extensive than the mere 
mention of 227 works would indicate. 

Another storehouse, not included in any way in this 
count, is the great mass of printed matter on the game 
found in the checker columns of newspapers. An 
important additional supply department is the checker 
chatter of the players themselves. 

No term of interest that the writer could find, or 
get any one to find for him, has been omitted. The 
guiding idea in accepting or rejecting a term was 
this: Does it refer to something a student of the pas- 
time anywhere many have occasion to use or look up? 

William Timothy Call. 
New York, October, 1909. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Abbreviated notation: An abridged method of re- 
cording play by omitting the figures representing an 
exchange. Example: 1015, 22-18, 25-18, 11-15, 8-15, 
24-19, 28-19; instead of 10-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 
11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19. This method, 
as advocated by F. Tescheleit, is discussed in the 
Draughts World for September, 1902. It has not 
received popular approval. 

Abecedarian : One who is learning the rudiments of 
the game; a new beginner. The stages of advance- 
ment are: abecedarian, beginner, novice, student, ad- 
vanced player, expert, champion. 

A. C. P.: "American Checker Player," a book by 
C F. Barker, Boston. 1880. Also a magazine by 
Thomas Phelan and Charles Kelly, Xew York, 1875. 
Also a magazine by A. J. Heffner, Boston, 1899. Bar- 
ker's American Checker Player is the work commonly 
referred to when the initials A. C. P. are used alone. 

A. C. R- : .\merican Checker Review, a magazine by 
James P. Reed, Charles Hefter, and E. T. Baker, Chi- 
cago, 1888. 

Adair's correction: To x\. Adair, of Kansas City, 
Mo., is given the credit of correcting the trunk line 
of the Bristol opening in Anderson's epoch-making 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



second edition. The correction occurs on the forty- 
fifth move, and is to be found in Janvier's Anderson, 
Lyman's Problems, Gould's Matches (page 257), and 
other work's. 

Adam problem: The following famous puzzle posi- 
tion by Dr. T. J. Brown, of Limerick, given in the 
Draught Board for November, i< 



THE ADAM PROBLEM 

WHITE 






BLACK 

Black to play and capture the king in eleven moves. 



Solution: 3-7, 29-25, 7-10, 25-22, 10-14, 22-25, 4-8^ 
25-21, 8-11, 21-25, 14-17. 25-21, 17-22, 21-17, 11-15, 
17-26, 15-18, 26-31, 18-23, 31-27, 23-32. Black wins. 
In his remarks on this position, Dr. Brown says : 
'T consider this to be the simplest combination of 
powers which can be assembled on the board — just 
sufficient for the development of a complete strat- 
agem." 



VOCABULARY' OF CHECKERS 7 

Addition or subtraction: The main idea in a 
problem may be appropriated and presented in a 
setting necessitating more or less moves than the 
original. This occiUTence is sometimes referred to as 
a case of addition or subtraction. 

Additional play: Variations not appearing in the 
original compilation: usually given for the purpose of 
sustaining an assertion. 

A- D. P.: American Draught Player, a book by 
Henr>- Spa\-th, Buffalo, N. Y.. i860. 

Advanced player: One who is familiar with the 
principal lines and variations of all openings. 

Albemarle: The opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, 
8-1 1, 17-13, 4-8, 21-17. Mentioned in the St. Gair 
Republican April 11, 1871, and previously by J. D. 
Janvier in the Turf, Field and Farm. Play appeared 
on this formation in Spayth's American Draught 
Player, i860, under irregular openings, credited to 
C. H. Irving, of Albemarle county, \'a. Hence the 
title. Incorrectly given in some works on Albermarle. 

Alexandrian system: A method of arranging play 
in columns with dots or lines extended to the varia- 
tkms. Example : 

11-15 

23-19 24-20 

8-11 7-11 9-14 8-1 1 

22-17 22-18 22-18 26-23 22-17 28-24 

4- 8 15-22 15-22 3- 7 7-1 1 4- 8 

All in the end: A bantering phrase, intended to 
convev the idea that however much automatic book 



8 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

knowledge a player may have there will be a test of 
skill in the endings. 

All-round system: The method of arranging con- 
testants in a tournament so that each player shall 
have every other player in turn as an opponent. 

Alliance: The name of an opening listed in Patter- 
son's handbook, London, 1872, and the EngUsh 
Draught Player for June, 1878, without the moves 
comprising it. 

Alma: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 
22-17, 3"^- First appeared in Drummond's third 
edition, 1861. The characteristic move of the Alma 
opening is 3-8. 

Alma-Doctor: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
8-11, 22-17, 3-8, 25-22, 11-16, 26-23, 7-11. 23-18, 16- 
23, 17-13. First appeared in the American Checker 
Review for August, 1892, as the title of a game by 
G. W. Hanson. 

Alquerque: Kear's Sturges, London, 1895, says this 
is the old name for draughts in Spain before the i6th 
century. 

Alternate play: Another way to accomplish the 
same result. Alternate play is sometimes useful when 
it is believed that an opponent is familiar with the 
usual line. 

Analysis: The stem and branches constituting the 
solution to a position. This term involves the idea of 
thoroughness and considerable originality, and is not 
applied to ordinary compilations or annotations. 

Analyst: i. An expert who examines all the possi- 
bilities of a position, and records the necessary varia- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 9 

tions to solve it. 2. A monthly magazine called The 
Analyst, edited by F. A. Fitzpatrick, published in 
Leavenworth, Kans., in 1878. 

Analytical problem: Same as "Task problem." 

Ancient French game: In 1668 Pierre Mallet, of 
Paris, a professor of mathematics, issued a work en- 
titled Le Jeu de Dames, in which the game of checkers 
as played at that time, and, it has been claimed, long 
before that time, is described. It is true checkers, as 
the game exists to-day, and has been called the ancient 
French game to distinguish it from Polish draughts, 
known as Jeu de Dames a la polonaise, which in 1727 
began to drive the ancient French game out of popu- 
larity in France. 

Ancient game : A synonym for the game of checkers 
in common use a hundred years ago, to distinguish it 
from Polish draughts, which was called the modern 
game. Other popular names for checkers at that time 
are: French draughts, old French game, old game, 
corner game. It was called French draughts because 
for more than a hundred years before the time of 
Payne, 1756, the game was much practiced in France. 

Andersonian school: Players who follow the lines 
laid down in Anderson's second edition, 1852, in 
preference to the new play of succeeding authorities. 

Andersonized play: Games and variations re- 
corded on the plan adopted by Andrew Anderson in 
his second edition, 1852, as suggested by James Xeil- 
son, of Glasgow. The method is described in the 
preface to that work thus : "Every game begins with 
black, played from the small numbers, and every varia- 



10 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



tion begins a new column. Following is an example 
of part of a page of Andersonized play : 

WHILTER 



Game 


I 


2 


3 


II 15 


7 II 


5 9 


16 20 


23 19 


18 26 27, 


17 13 


30 26 


I 9 14 


3 7 


Z7 


28 2 7 


22 17 


21 17 


22 17 


23 18 


7 II 


II 16 


25 II 16 


14 30 


25 22 


25 21 


29 25 


19 16 


2 II 16 


19 16 20 


16 23 


12 19 


26 27, 


30 26 


26 19 


31 26 


3 5 9 


20 8 II 


7 II 


30 23 



Each opening is treated as an individual section of 
play. The variation indicators begin with the figure i 
near the top of the first column, and run consecutively 
down the column, continuing down each succeeding 
column to the end, in what is called natural succession. 

This method scatters the play into such columns as 
it may happen to fall. To bring all the play on an 
ending into adjacent columns, later practitioners 
started the variation indicators near the bottom of the 
first column, as Hay and Drummond had done in 
1838, instead of near the top, and so continued until 
all the play belonging to a variation was completed. 

Before Anderson's second edition appeared the au- 
thors began their records indifferently with black or 
white, starting with 22-18 or 11-15, for instance. That 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 1 1 

is, in some games White moved first, while in others 
Black moved first ; and the play was not classified 
under named openings. 

Annie Gray: The Single Corner opening extended as 
follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 10-14, 
2^-22, 7-10, 24-19. So named in Drummond's third 
edition, 1861. 

Annotated game : One that is accompanied by notes 
of explanation or criticism. 

Antiquarian : One who is interested as a collector or 
writer in books, drawings, records, or curiosities of 
any kind bearing on pastimes similar to or remotely 
related to the game of checkers, of a date previous to 
that of the first work in English on the game, 1756. 
When an antiquarian enthusiast shows special interest 
in the relics and remains of ancient times he is usually 
referred to as fond of the archaeolog>- of the game. 

Apollo: The opening formed by the single move 
1 1- 1 5, according to the nomenclature suggested by 
John Hedley in the Draught Board, for January, 1870. 

Archaeology: See "Antiquarian." 

Atkinson's New Bristol: A book of play on the 
opening, 11- 16, 23-18, largely original, by Mathew At- 
kinson, Bristol, England, 1889. 

Attacking move: One that reduces the possibilities 
of the opposing side without impairing the strength of 
the other side. It is frequently a matter of opinion as 
to which side has the attack. 

Augustus stroke: A Bristol game extended as fol- 
lows by "Augustus" in Bowen's Bristol book, 1880, 
Part I, variation 292: 11-16, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 



12 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

12-19, 22-18, 8-12, 25-22, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 29-25, 7-1 1, 
22-17, ii-i5» 20-16, 2-7, 27-24, 4-8, 25-22, 8-1 1, 22-18, 
14-23 (the stroke), 31-27, 11-20, 2'/-2, 20-27, 32-16, 
12-19, 2-9. White wins. 

Aurora: The opening formed by the single move 
9-13, according to the nomenclature suggested by John 
Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 

Author: One who originates and publishes new 
lines of play in book form. Example : Payne or Drum- 
mond. Compilers, who sift, correct, improve, and add 
to play credited to others, are also classed as authors. 
Example : Robertson or Lees. The "old authors" are : 
Payne, Sturges, Sinclair, Hay, Drummond, Martins, 
Anderson, and Wyllie. 

Authorities: Those books, magazines and news- 
paper columns that, by common consent, are classed as 
productions of commanding importance. Analysts and 
critics in the front rank are sometimes referred to as 
the best authorities. Yates lost confidence in the au- 
thorities after being trapped by a correction unknown 
to him, and thereafter proved all things to his own 
satisfaction before accepting them as good. 

Automaton: A lay figure that apparently plays the 
game mechanically, the moving arm being operated by 
— but the ethics of the pastime forbid details, because 
of the harmless pleasure the public find in telling how 
it is probably done. The impassive attendant, when 
pressed for an explanation, gives rapid vent to some- 
thing like the following: "The board is sensitized so 
that the move you make operates to effect a correspond- 
ing change in the power of the piece controlling the 



VOCABULARY OF CHBCKERS 13 



Si^oare irflfrting the correct rEptF-" Ajedb^ 
All. and Akimo are the names <if somi 
tomarc'Cis. 

Airaid tbe mwiiing: PmposelT nuking a mowc tint 
jccvcnis the ionnatMxi of sooie |iiiliuilar opening. 
Emnpie: The Defiance opening^ ii-iS 25-19, 9-14, 
27-23, was so named becaose ilie last mowc, ^^23, 
IMm e m;^ die foonatioo ai tbc reg-i'^r Fife open in g , 
II-IS 23-19. 9^14, 22-17, 5^ 

Ayialiiic Lassie: The apennig i.rrrti : 11-15. 
24-20. Some auihuiili es n^aid : 
fair to OQo^lefce the opemi^ Ails 
j8-24_ Fiist giYen in AndefsOD 5 
lie is c r edited hf Wllli^n S - 



nHive <rf dK Ajishire —.1 . _ _ : 

B 
B.: Bfack; die ^e fazrmg^ the black or dsrk coI*>red 



The buppcM t, or Imtin g , a piece maj 
giwe; br tlfMgH ex* olheiwfiev to an adjacent piece of 
color. Example: 9-14, 22-18, 5-9^ die last 
n fiffhange bf' liaikn^ np die first 
Beginners are ofteen sarprised to find dot one <rf dieir 
OMOcs nas Dccn compeBea to iih iirJi tne Imln^ tor 

jpohed for shot pnwwHr Operating to oblaii 
ing hf means of a sacr&e is an iiiipoi i aH t 
that norices are zfit to leare oat €i 



14 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Back stroke : One in which a king is caused to make 
a jump, and then caused to jump back again. Ex- 
ample : The following problem by H. Tonkin : 



BACK STROKE 

WHITE 



im 



"C^ 









BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 9-14, 18-9, 11-15, 20-11, 10-14, 9-18, 15- 
31. Black wins. 

Backing out: Retreating with a king is sometimes 
referred to as backing out. 

Balloted opening: One that is determined by 
chance choice from a number of openings agreed upon. 

Bannockbum: The opening formed by 11-15, 22-18, 
according to William Hay's Draught Player, 1862. 

Barker's triangle: The following position by C. F. 
Barker, an account of which is given in Whyte's 
Problemists' Guide: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



15 



BARKER'S TRIANGLE 

WHITE 



m ^ W^m. -mid 



1^, W/^, w. 






i » » 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 31-27, 11-15, 27-24, 15-18, 24-27, 10-14, 
27-31, 18-22, 21-25, 14-18, 25-21. Drawn. A note to 
the last move, 25-21, by C. F. Barker, says: "If Black 
allows the king on 4 to combine with the other two 
kings, we have what is known as Strickland's position, 
which in my opinion is the best problem ever pub- 
lished." 

Bay State: The opening formed by 9-14, 22-18, as 
proposed by Henry Spayth in the New York Clipper, 
and mentioned in the Strickland-Gardner match games, 
1886. 

B. B. : Bowmen's Bristol, a book of play by R. E. 
Bowen, Worcester, Mass., 1880. 

B. D. P.: British Draught Player, a book of play 
by William Strickland and others, 1883; also, Bristol 



16 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Draught Player, a magazine by G. and J. A. Kear, 
Bristol, England, 1872. 

Beattie's stroke : The following stroke, occurring in 
a Will o' the Wisp game: 11-15, 23-19, 9-13, 22-18, 
15-22, 25-18, 7-1 1, 19-15, 10-19, 24-15, 6-9, 21-17, 13- 
22, 26-17, 3-7. 30-25. 12-16, 25-21, 16-19, 17-14, 1-6, 
27-24, 9-13, 29-25, 11-16, 25-22, 16-20, 31-27, 7-1 1, 
14-9 (the stroke), 5-23, 27-18, 20-27, 32-7, 2-1 1, 21-17, 
8-12, 15-8, 4-1 1, 17-14, 12-16, 28-24, 16-20, 24-19, 20- 
24, 19-15, 11-16, 14-9. White wins. 

Beginner: One who has started to learn something 
about the game as a science. The abecedarian becomes 
a beginner, then a novice, then a student. 

Bessie Lee : The Single Corner opening extended as 
follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 
25-22, 12-16, 24-20, 10-15, 21-17, 8-12; also, 11-15, 
22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 12-16; also, 
11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 10-15. So 
named in volume two of Drummond's fourth edition, 
1866. 

Best: The strongest move at some critical point 
where there are two or more safe moves to choose 
from. 

Bethel-Kear rule: A suggestion by W. R. Bethel, 
Philadelphia, Pa., qualified and restated by J. A. Kear, 
J-r., Bristol, England, for quickly determining which 
side has the move when one of the players has an 
extra piece in a confined situation, thus : 

"Leave out the piece which is in a confined situation, 
or which cannot move without being taken, and apply 
the rule as in the case of even pieces." Example: In 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 17 

two kings against two kings, with a man held on the 
side, disregard the man, and apply the usual rule to 
the four kings. 

Betsy Baker : The Single Comer opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 12-16, 29-25, 
10-14. So named in Drummond's third edition, 1861. 

Better game : The point at which one of the players 
has gained what appears to be the preferable situation. 

B. for choice: Black regarded as having the ad- 
vantage, if there is any. 

Big stroke: The Old Fourteenth opening extended 
as follows, as given by Sturges, 1800: 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 22-17, 4~8' ^7-'^3' 15-18, 24-20, 11-15, 28-24, 
8-1 1, 26-23, 9-14, 31-26, 6-9, 13-6, 2-9, 26-22, 9-13, 
2016 (the stroke), 11-20, 22-17, ^S-^^y 21-17, 14-21, 
23-14, ia-17, 25-2, 17-22, 19-15, 21-25, 30-21, 22-26, 
15-10, 26-31, 29-25, 12-16, 25-22, 16-19, 24-15, 31-24, 

I5-II, 24-19, 1 1-7, 19-15, 2-6, I5-II, /-2. 20-24, 22-18, 

11-16, 21-17. ^Vhite wins. 

Bite off : To cut down the forces by exchanging with 
the opposing piece that is supporting a combination, 
or is an obstruction. 

Black: The darker pieces, whatever their shade or 
color, as distinguished from those of the opposing side. 

Black Defiance: The Denny opening extended as 
follows: 10-14, 22-18, 11-15, 18-11, 8-15, 24-19, 15-24, 
28-19, 4-8, 2y22, 6-10. So called in the Chicago Inter 
Ocean for April 11, 1891. 

Black Doctor: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 22-17, 9-i3» 17-14. 10-17, 19-10, 7-14. The 
single term. Doctor, is often used without the ad- 



18 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

jective, Black, which distinguishes this opening from 
the White Doctor. These openings are mentioned in 
the Draught Board for August, 1871, page 80. About 
1840 this formation was popularly known in some 
localities in Scotland as the Doctor's game, due to the 
fact that it was the favorite opening of a doctor who 
had considerable local reputation as a player. James 
Lees gives an extended review of the career of this 
opening in the Scottish Draughts Quarterly for March, 
1899. 

Black Doctor refused: The opening formed by 11- 
15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 4-8, 25-22, 9-13, 17-14, ia-17, 
19-10, 6-ij, 21-14. Given in Gould's Matches, page 
180. The characteristic move of this variation is 6-15. 

Black Dyke: Same as Dyke. The adjective. Black, 
is sometimes used to distinguish the Dyke proper from 
the A\'hite Dyke. 

Black Goose walk: The Single Corner opening ex- 
tended as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-11, 
29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 12-16, 26-22, 10-15, 23-19, 16-23, 
20-16; according to Hill's ^lanual, 1893. 

Black Switcher: The opening formed by 12-16, 
24-20, 8-12. First mentioned in the Draught Board 
for May, 1869. In Gould's Matches this title is given 
to a game played in 1863. 

Blackbume's opinion: The following remarks, 
credited to J. H. Blackburne, the Enghsh chess master: 
''Draughts is a less attractive game, infinitely less, but 
it is more scientific. You see, a step at draughts is 
irreparable. At chess, however, you can get back, 
change the disposition of your men, and possibly win." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 19 

Blank diagram: An illustration of a plain checker- 
board, for recording positions. 

Blind players: The game of checkers is a favorite 
diversion with the blind. It is easily adapted to their 
specialized faculties, either by means of the ordinary 
board and men, or by separating the squares by raised 
lines. A position is comprehended by lightly passing 
the hands over the pieces. Some blind players, notably 
Charles Ellsworth and Ben Scully, made a profession 
of the game by playing in public resorts against all 
comers, the usual charge being five cents a game. One 
of the earlier players in the advanced class is referred 
to in Sweet's Elements, 1859, as follows : "Charles 
Tarbell, of New York, although blind, is really a fine 
player." 

Blindfold: Playing without seeing board or men. 
It is not customary to bandage the eyes. The expert 
who cannot play a game blindfold is now the exception. 
Constant practice in recording play and reading games 
in print or manuscript fixes the location of the squares 
of the board in the mind's eye like a remembered 
picture. 

Sweet's Elements, New York, 1859, reproduces a 
game played blindfold on both sides, with a note that 
reflects the common opinion of that time, thus : "Those 
who have not tried can hardly be aware of the diffi- 
culty of playing blindfold." 

Drummond's practical point of view is shown in the 
following surprising couplet, soon to become inap- 
propriate, on the title page of his Scottish Draught 
Player, printed in 1861 : 



20 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

"Chess can be played by Philidors, though blind, 
But draughts require both sight and thoughtful 
mind." 
E. Lord, of Birmingham, played blindfold in the 
sixties, and is credited by Frank Dunne with being the 
first to play blindfold in England. David Kirkwood 
and Frank Dunne also played blindfold before the 
seventies. Dunne is regarded as the foster father of 
blindfold checker playing, having brought the practice 
into popular use in 1872. The fame of William 
Strickland as a blindfold charripion fills a large place 
in the annals of the game. Some notable performances 
in blindfold exhibitions are : 

W. Campbell, 1895 21 boards 

R. Stewart, 1905 25 boards 

W. Gardner, 1906 28 boards 

It was Pillsbury's practice in blindfold games to 
"play by the numbers." For example, instead of say- 
ing, "If I go here, he will go there ; then I go here, he 
goes there," and so on, he thought of the numbers of 
the squares, thus: "11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17," ^^c. 
This method is employed in cross-board analysis by 
experts in place of the "here" and "there" style of the 
inexperienced. Mentally articulating the numbers aids 
the visualizing faculty. 

Much of the misinformation and mystery attached 
to blindfold playing (and to the game itself) is due to 
the fact that the ordinary board has 32 playing squares 
and 32 space squares. The Lallement board and the 
Roundsquare board show the positions as the blind- 
fold player sees them. The image is in his mind — • 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 21 

visual ; and is not projected into space — visible So long 
as the play proceeds on lines with which he is familiar 
the blindfold player merely gives utterance to a suc- 
cession of memorized moves, no matter how complex 
the position may appear to others ; but the moment a 
strange situation is reached his visualizing faculty is 
called upon to enable him to shape his course. A base- 
ball enthusiast visualizes the diamond and the players 
in the same way that a checker expert visualizes the 
board and the pieces. The effect is obtained by in- 
tensifying and focussing the memory through practice. 

Block: Pieces rendered unmovable by being held 
in a solid bunch. 

Block game: Numerous ways of playing all the 
pieces up to the point where one of the sides has no 
move left have been shown. The following example by 
W. W. Ames is from the Xew England Checker 
Player for April, 1878: 9-13, 22-18, 11-16, 25-22, 
8-1 1, 21-17, 4-8, 18-14, ^9» 23-18, 1-6, 24-20, 16-19, 
27-24, 10-15, S2-2y, 6-10, 2J-27,, 12-16, 31-27, 8-12, 
30-25, 3-8, 25-21, 2-6, 29-25. White wins. 

This game is accompanied by the following note : 
"This shows that the one who plays first does not have 
the move." 

In Dunne's Guide the following variation in a block 
game is given: 10-15, 23-18, 7-10, 26-23, 3-7, 31-26 
(30-26 being the proper move), 9-13, 21-17, 12-16, 
24-20, 15-19, 18-14, 10-15, 23-18, 6-9, 27-24, 1-6, 32-27, 
6-10, 27-23, 8-12, 25-21, 4-8, 29-25, 2-6. Black wins. 

A note to this game is as follows : "In the ordinary 
course of a blocked game the second player should win, 



22 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

but in this case White has carelessly blocked his own 
piece on 30, and, as the result, loses a move. Con- 
sequently Black has the last move, and wins." 

Block line of the Whilter: The Whilter opening 
extended as follows: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 7-ii» 
25-22, 11-16, 26-23, 5-9, 17-13, 3-7, 29-25, 1-5, 22-17, 
8-1 1, 31-26, 4-8. This move, 4-8, completes the so- 
called block line, which is favored by some players as 
avoiding the complications arising from playing 16-20 
instead of 4-8 at this point. The same block line 
comes up in the Kelso opening as played in the Ferrie- 
Jordan match of 1896, thus: 10-15, 23-19, 7-10, 26-23, 
9-14, 22-17, 11-16, 25-22, 5-9, 17-13, 3-7, 29-25, 1-5, 
22-17, 8-1 1, 31-26, 4-8. 

Block problem: One that ends in all the pieces of 
the losing side being deprived of the power of moving. 

Blow: See "Huff." 

Board: The checkerboard. 

Book loss: A line of play given in some standard 
work as sure to lose if properly handled by the side 
having the advantage. 

Book player: One who is familiar with recorded 
play, as distinguished from the so-called natural player, 
who does not go to the books for assistance. 

Boomerang: A capturing play causing a stunning 
stroke in return. Example : The stroke at the end of 
the following Switcher game by R. Atwell, as g^ven 
in the North American Checker Board for February, 
1900: 11-15, 21-17, 9-13, 25-21, 8-1 1, 23-18, 4-8, 26- 

25, 15-19. 23-16, 12-19, 24-15. 10-19. 17-14. 6-10, 30- 

26, 10-17, 21-14, 8-12, 27-24, 11-16, 24-15, 7-10, 15-6, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 23 

1-17, 28-24, i-j, 18-14, 2-(>, 2g-2S, 17-^1, 14-9. 5-14, 
24-20, 21-30, 20-2, 30-23, 2-27. White wins. 

Bootle : Xom de plume of Fisher E. Boustead, whose 
reputation as critic and analyst was enhanced by a 
noteworthy library of checker literature and collected 
play, gathered from all available sources. 

Border Champion : A popular name for J. C. Brown, 
a noted expert of Scotland. 

Boston: The opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, 9-13, 
17-14. First mentioned in the Draught Board for No- 
vember, 1869. J. D. Janvier is credited with having 
given the title to this opening. 

Boston bunch: The leading experts of Boston and 
vicinity, especially Barker, Heffner, and Grover. 

Boston Centre: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 22-17, 15-18. So named by William R. Barker in 
the World's Checker Book, Boston, 1879. See 
"Centre." 

Boston Cross: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 
8-1 1, 18-14. Title first appeared in the Xew England 
Checker Player for September, 1880; then in Gould's 
Matches, 1888, page y2>- Same as "Waterloo." 

Boston dodge: Same as ''Dodger." 

Boston school: Same as "Boston bunch." 

Bowen: The opening formed by 11-15, 21-17, 9"i4» 
25-21, 15-19; as proposed in the Chicago Inter Ocean, 
May 25, 1889. 

Bowen's Authors: The general title covering the 
play of the old authors, as given by R. E. Bowen in 
his works on the Cross and Bristol openings, 1878 
and 1880, namely: Payne, Sturges, Sinclair, Hay, 



24 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Drummond, Anderson, Spayth, ^McCulloch, and the 
Barkers. 

Bowen's Cross : A book of play on the Cross open- 
ing, by R. E. Bowen, Worcester, Mass., 1878. 

Bowen's First Position adjuncts: Six important 
situations by R. E. Bowen in which the First position 
formation is compHcated wdth an additional king on 
each side. Given in Atwell's Scientific Draughts, 1905, 
page 59, and many preceding works, including Ly- 
man's Problems, 1881. 

Bowen's twins: The following formation by R. E. 
Bowen : 

BOWEN'S TWINS 

WHITE 



^ P w s 



BLACK 

Black to play, White to draw; 

or, 
White to play, Black to win. 



Solution, by R. E. Bowen, Black to play (variations 
being omitted here) : 27-23, 1-6, 19-15, 6-1, 15-18, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 25 

1-6, 18-22, 6-9, 22-17, 2-6, 23-19, 6-10, 1 1-7, 10-6, 
19^15, 6-2, 7-1 1, 9-6, 17-13, 6-1, 15-10, 2-6, 1014, 
1-5, 1 1-7, 6-2, 7-10, 5-1, 14-9, 20-16, 10-15, 1-6, 9-5, 
6-1, 13-17, 2-6, 17-14, 6-2, 14-18, 2-6, 18-23, 6-10, 
15-6, i-io, 23-19, 16-11, 19-16, 1 1-7. Drawn. 

Solution by James Wyllie, White to play (variations 
being omitted here) : 1-6, 27-23, 6-10, 23-18, 10-6, 
18-14, 6-1, 14-17, 1-6, 19-23, 6-9, 23-18, 2-6, 17-13, 
9-5, 18-14, 5-1, 14-9, 6-2, 13-17, 1-5, 17-14, 5-1, 9-5, 
2-6, 14-18, 6-10, 18-23, 10-14, 23-19, 1-6, 5-1, 6-9, 

19-15. 9-5. 1 1-7. 14-9. 7-2, 9-13. 15-11. 13-17. 3-7. 
17-14, 2-6, 14-18, 7-10, 18-23, 10-15, 23-27, 15-19, 
2y-^2, 19-23, 32-28, 6-10, 28-24, 10-15. Black wins. 

B. P. : Book play. 

Braidwood: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 22-17, 4-8. This title was proposed by J. Bertie 
in the Draught Board for July, 1869, as a substitute 
for Old Fourteenth, in memory of Andrew Anderson, 
whose home was in Braidwood, Scotland. 

Branch: A minor or sub-variation; also used as a 
synonym for "line." 

Break: An exchange that simplifies the situation 
by relieving congestion, or breaking up a combination, 
in the building up process at the beginning of a 
game. Example: 11-16, 23-18, 16-20, 24-19, 10-14, 
26-23, 8-1 1, 22-17, 7-10, 30-26, 4-8, 19-15, 10-19, 
17-10, 6-22, 23-7, 3-10, 25-18. 

This term is inaccurately used as synonymous with 
"cut." A break is usually started by a cut. 

Break the kingrow : To move one of the four pieces 
occupying it. 



26 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Breeches: A king placed between two opposing 
pieces, either of which, if not moved, he will capture. 
The Scotch term *'breeks'' is often preferred. Com- 
pare 'Tork.'' 

Breeks: See "Breeches." 

Bridge: The bridge idea is expressed by three 
pieces, one of which is called the keystone, as shown 
in "Petterson's drawbridge." 

Brigs: Same as ''Breeks," or ''Breeches.'' 

Bristol: The opening popularly regarded as formed 
by the single move, 11-16. First given in Anderson's 
second edition, 1852, "in compliment to the players of 
that city for services rendered to the author.'' An- 
derson says this opening is formed by the first three 
moves, namely: 11-16, 24-20, 16-19. 

Bristol-Crescent: The opening formed by 11-16, 
23-18, 16-20, according to the International Draughts 
Magazine for ^lay, 1888, in referring to Atkinson's 
analysis of the New Bristol, formed by 11-16, 23-18, 
8-1 1. Compare "Bristol-Cross." 

Bristol-Cross: The opening formed by 11-16, 2y 
18, the characteristic moves of the Bristol and the 
Cross openings. The International Draughts Maga- 
zine for May, 1888, in referring to Atkinson's analysis 
of the New Bristol, gives three moves to complete the 
Bristol-Cross opening, thus: 11-16, 23-18, 16-19. 
Compare "Bristol-Crescent." 

Bristol-Dyke: The opening formed by 11-16, 22- 
17, 16-19. So named because it is the same as the 
Dyke opening formed in the regular way, thus: 11-15, 
22-17, 16-19. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 27 

Bristol play: The formations produced by 11-16 
followed by 16-19. 

Bristol-Switcher: The opening formed by 11-16, 
21-17, the characteristic moves of the Bristol and the 
Switcher openings. 

Brock's discovery: See "Switcher controversy." 

Brod: Scotch for ''board." 

Brooklyn: i. A name given in the New York Clip- 
per to some original variations on the Denny opening, 
as referred to in the Gardner-Strickland match games 
of 1886. 

2. The stroke occurring at the close of the following 
Single Corner game, as given in Denvir's Traps and 
Shots, 1905: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-11, 29-25, 
4-8, 25-22, 10-15, 24-20, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 22-17, 6-10, 
28-24, 15-18, 17-13, 11-15, 13-9, 1-5, 9-6 (the stroke), 
2-9, 24-19, 15-24, 20-16, 12-19, 27-20, 18-27, 31-6. 
White wins. 

Several illustrations of the principle on which this 
stroke is based are given in Traps and Shots, showing 
that it frequently occurs in formations not at all similar 
in general appearance, and with few or many pieces 
on the board. It is there named in honor of R. D. 
Yates, whose home was in Brooklyn, N. Y. 

The same idea is to be found in a Defiance game in 
Drummond's third edition, 1861, thus: 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 27-23, 8-1 1, 22-18, 15-22, 25-9, 5-14, 29-25, II- 
15, 25-22, 7-1 1, 24-20, 15-24, 28-19, 11-15, 32-28, 
15-24, 28-19, ^9» 22-18, 4-8, 18-15, 1-6, 26-22, 9-13, 
22-18, 3-7 (beginning of the shot), 18-9, 13-17, 21-14, 
6-13, 15-6, 2-27, 31-24, 7-10. Black wins. 



2S VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Brothet: An old title for the Double Corner ( pen- 
ing, 9-14. The report of the Anderson- Wyllie match 
games of 1847 has this title, conferred, it is believed, 
by Drummond. In the second volume of Drummond's 
fourth edition, 1866, the title Brothet is given to the 
completed opening, thus: 9-14, 22-18. 

Buffalo: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
22-17, 9-14- First given by J. D. Janvier in the St. 
Clair Republican for April 11, 1871 ; then in Jan- 
vier's Sturges, 1 88 1. 

Burlingame's Board: A magazine called The Board, 
edited by Elmer E. Burlingame, Elmira, N. Y., 1885. 

Busby's Alma move: The 2-y move in the Alma 
game played as follows : 1 1- 15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 3-8, 
25-22, 11-16, 27-23, 7-1 1, 24-20, 15-24, 28-19, 10-14, 
17-10, 6-24, 22-18, 1-6, 21-17, 2-7 (the move referred 
to). Drawn. The credit for this move is given in 
Lees's Guide, page 153, to J. S. Busby. 

Bust : Colloquial for "break." When it is discovered 
that the terms of a problem cannot be sustained, that 
position is sometimes referred to as "busted." 

Byars's problem: The accompanying gem, which 
presents the elements of the true problem in their 
ideal proportions — equally obscure, surprising, and 
simple. It is by Hugh Byars, Glasgow, Scotland, and 
was first published in 1889. An account of its career 
is given in the Draughts Players' Quarterly Review 
for February, 1897. The Byars problem, which is 
frequently referred to in the pages of this Vocabulary 
for the purpose of illustrating some of the terms, is 
as follows: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



29 



THE BYARS PROBLEM 

WHITE 



M .S % 



fAfrnWiM 




■^/////a V/////A V/////A V////A 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 

Solution: 11-16, 12-8, (a) 16-12, 23-19, 15-24, 8-3, 
12-8, 3-12, 24-27, 12-16, 27-31. Black wins. 

(a) 16-20, 23-19, 15-24, 8-3, 24-27, 3-7, 27-31, 7-10, 
Drawn. 

Bye: Xot paired with an opponent in some par- 
ticular round of a tournament. Example: If seven- 
teen players are to compete, there will be eight pairs, 
and the player left out of a round will have a bye. 



Calculation of the move: See '"Opposition." 
Captive Cossacks: A name given by T. J. Riley, 
according to the World's Problem Book, Part First, 
1890, to the following old-time finish, which occurs in 



30 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



position No. 53, by Alonzo Brooks, in the American 
Draught Player, i860: 



CAPTIVE COSSACKS 



myf>. w///y. 



m. m. fc 



^- H^*S* 






w^^'m. W///A. 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 8-1 1, 17-13, 1-6, lo-i, 11-7, 13-6, 7-2. 
Black wins. 

Capture: To obtain one or more pieces by jumping. 

Card: The traveling player who gives exhibitions 
of his skill in clubs, the public resort player who wel- 
comes all comers at so much a game, and the home 
player, who likes to have visitors of the expert class 
call on him, often make their business cards suffi- 
ciently attractive to arouse attention, amusement, or 
amazement. Following are examples of each class, 
the name on the second card being Smith : 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 31 



CLARENCE H. FREEMAN 



CHECKER ENGAGEMENT 

NEW YORK AND VICINITY 

MONTH OF OCTOBER. 1893 

Holders of this card are members of the IsrnTATios Committhh. 

and accredited visiters at each sitting, whether in New York, 
Brccklyn. Jersey City, Newark cr Paterscn. 



CHECKERS 



YOUR NEXT MOVE 
TRY A GAME 
WIN OR LOSE 
TRY AGAIN 



YOUNG'S MILLION DOLLAR PIER 



HOURS OF PLAY 
MORNINGS, to TO t2 30 
AFTERNOONS. 2-30 TO S 30 ATLANTIC CITY. N. J. 

CVENINSS. 7 30 TO 10 



32 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



CHARLES SHATTUCK 

GROTON, MASS. 



DEALER IN 



Music and Musical Instruments 
Cattle^ Pigs and Vinegar 

Also Checker Player 



Catches: See "Puzzles." 

C. C. P.: Canadian Checker Player, a magazine by 
M. Teetzel, 1907. 

Centre: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
22-17, 15-18. The first appearance of this title in a 
book is in Janvier's Anderson, 1881. The characteris- 
tic move of the opening is 15-18. See also "Boston 
Centre." 

Centre exchange: The exchange effected in the 
Single Corner opening: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18. 
This term has no bearing on the Centre opening. 

Change the move: To cause the kind of exchange 
to be made that shifts the move to the opposing side. 
Some kinds of exchanges do not change the move. 
Forcing a man into a confined situation, where he is 
out of play (for instance, driving an opponent's man 
into the upper square of your double corner when the 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 33 

lower square is occupied by one of your own pieces) 
does not change the move, but is practically equiva- 
lent to changing the move. See "Opposition." 

Characteristic move: The move which gives the 
name to or completes an opening; more particularly 
applied to openings composed of several moves. Ex- 
amples : 3-8, of the Alma opening ; 27-23, of the De- 
fiance ; 15-18, of the Maid of the Mill; 6-9, of the 
Souter; 7-1 1, of the Whilter. 

Check: Changeling for "square." This term is now 
obsolete. 

Checker Almanac r A compilation of events of in- 
terest in the checker world, arranged according to the 
days of the months in which they occurred. It is to 
be found in Stearns's Book of Portraits, Vol. 2, 1895, 
credited to "Grundy" (E. A. Durgin). 

Checker hungry : The keen desire for the game felt 
by all true lovers of the pastime when deprived for an 
unusual time of an opportunity to engage in it. 

Checkerboard: The board upon which the game is 
played, as distinguished from other checkered boards. 

Checkerist: An enthusiastic player or follower of 
the game of checkers. 

Checkers: The name by which the game and the 
pieces are commonly known in America. In Great 
Britain the term draughts is preferred. 

Checkers not mathematics: All attempts to treat 
checkers as a branch of mathematics have been fruit- 
less. Mathematics deals with quantity, checkers with 
position. Mathematical calculation is based on fixed 
values, checker calculation on fluctuating values. 



34 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Chicago: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 
22-17, 9"i4> 25-22, 14-18. This title appears in Terry's 
Checkerist, Tavares, Fla., February 13, 1888, 

Chicago Fife: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, 5-9» i7-i3» 15-18. So named by the Chi- 
cago players, Welen, Wendermuth, and Gilday, whose 
analysis of this opening was published in pamphlet 
form by Dr. A. Schaefer, Xew York, 1903. 

Choice: The opening formed by 9-14, 22-18, 11-15. 
First mentioned in the Draught Board for ^lay, 1869. 
Has also been called Double Comer Choice. See also 
"Cross-Choice." 

Choice of jumps : That it is possible to have numer- 
ous ways to jump presented at one turn to play is 
shown in the following made-to-order position: 



CHOICE OF JUMPS 



WHITE 




BL,\CK 



By 17-13. 1017, Black has the choice of five ways 
to jump. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 35 

Claim a draw: To demand that the opposing player 
show a decided advantage in forty of his own moves, 
as stipulated in the Standard Laws. Also, to contend 
that a draw can be demonstrated for some specific 
position under discussion. 

Classical period : The tliirty years from the appear- 
ance of Anderson's second edition, 1852, to the re- 
tirement of Yates, 1882. 

Classification of openings: Before the two-move 
restriction came into vogue openings were variously 
classified according to the supposed opinion of the 
best authorities, or the personal estimate of their value 
by a compiler. In Lees's Guide, for instance, the play 
is arranged in two separate sections, headed, respec- 
tively, "Regular Openings," and "Irregular and Weak 
Openings." Among the openings now in first class 
standing included under the second head are the Kelso 
and the Denny. See "Principal openings." 

The term "classification'' is also used to cover the 
question of what name to give to a set of moves that 
may occur in two or more openings. See "Constitu- 
tion of openings." 

Closet analyst: One who does his work in private, 
as distinguished from a player who analyzes in con- 
sultation, or seeks the opinion of others before fixing 
his conclusions. Yates said he never could do the 
plodding work of a private analyst with satisfaction, 
but needed the stimulus of the actual contest to arouse 
his powers. 



36 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Coach: One who helps a player prepare himself for 
a contest, aiding him in any way he legally can during 
a match. 

Cobbler's game: Same as Souter, which means 
shoemaker. 

Coincidences: See "Rediscovery." 

Collector: One who tries to secure for his own 
library a copy of each book, pamphlet, and periodical 
on the game. One who gathers games and variations 
from miscellaneous sources is called a collector of play. 

Colliver's system: A method of handicapping de- 
vised by Carus CoUiver, of tlie London Wanderers 
Draughts Club, by which a tournament may be begun 
and completed in the same evening, with every player 
having a fairly equal chance. All the participants 
are divided into classes according to their strength. 
If a player wins from one of his own or a lower class, 
he scores four points ; if from one in a higher class, 
he scores four points, plus one point for each class 
his opponent is rated above him. For a draw he 
scores half the number of points he would have scored 
by winning. Example: If a first class player defeats 
a third class player, he scores four points ; a win for 
the third class player counting six points ; a draw 
for the first counting two and for the third three 
points. Only one game is played in a heat, and every 
bye counts four points. The time limit is three minutes 
to a move. Opponents are selected by ballot. At the 
end of an hour all unfinished games are adjudicated 
or played out at the rate of a move a minute. The 
winners in the first heat are put in the next higher 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 37 

class for the second heat. When a first class player 
wins, his opponent is put down one class for the 
second heat. After the first game a different opponent 
is selected for each contestant by ballot. After the 
second game the points are counted, the player having 
the highest number being the winner of the tourna- 
ment. 

Colored Doctor: The opening formed by 9-14, 
22-18, 5-9, 25-22, 11-16, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 14-23, 
26-19, 8-1 1. So named by Atkinson in his analysis 
of the White and Colored Doctors, 1892. 

Colors reversed: Black pieces substituted for white 
pieces, and white for black. Example: First position. 
Black to win, and First position White to win, are the 
same problem, colors reversed. The statement of the 
position changes color the same as the pieces. It is 
a notably unusual occurrence that a case of colors 
reversed is found in the body of a game, the following 
from Kear's Sturges being one of the well known 
specimens : 

Bristol: 11-16, 23-18, 16-20, 24-19, 10-14, 26-23, 
8-1 1, 22-17, 7-10. i7-i3» 3-7. 28-24, 4-8, 31-26, 12-16, 
19-3, Black to play. 

Whilter: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 7-1 1, 25-22, 
11-16, 26-23, 16-20, 30-26, 5-9, 17-13, '2-J, 21-17, 14-21, 
29-25, 21-30, White to play. 

Column: The department devoted to the game in a 
weekly newspaper or other periodical not primarily 
a checker publication. 

Coming up: The approach of an anticipated posi- 
tion as the expected moves are made. 



38 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Command of the square: Conducting the pieces 
with reference to some particular square so that the 
adverse side can not occupy it to advantage. 

Commanding squares : The four middle squares of 
the board, 14, 15, 18, and 19. 

Common game: See "Ancient game." 

Companion problems: Two closely related forma- 
tions that would become identical by some slight 
physical change, such as, for instance, shifting a piece 
to an adjacent square, or substituting a man for a 
king. When the positions are identical, but the turn 
to play is changed, the problems are commonly called 
twins ; as, for example, Bowen's twins. The following 
companion problems are the joint production of G. H. 
Slocum and L. S. Head: 



COMPANION PROBLEM, No. 1 

WHITE 




^^^^^•^^'^ 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



39 



COMPANION PROBLEM, No. 2 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play; White to draw. 

Solution: 27-23, 25-21, 17-22, 21-17, 23-18, 17-13, 
18-14, 30-25, 14-18, 25-21, 18-14, 21-17. Black wins 
by First position. 

Solution: 27-23, 25-21, (a) 17-22, 30-25, 23-18, 
21-17, 22-13, 25-22, 18-25, 29-22. Drawn. 

(a) 17-14, 29-25, 14-18, 25-22, 18-25, 21-17, 25-22, 
17-13. Drawn. 

An account of the career of these problems is given 
in the Draughts World for December, 1899, page 713. 
They have been referred to as demonstrating the fact 
that a man may sometimes be stronger than a king. 

Compel the take: Forcing an adversary to make a 
capture. 

Compiler: One who brings together and arranges 
in his own way the play originated by others. Com- 
pare "Author." 



40 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Complicated situation: A position in which the 
pieces are so intermingled or bunched that the atten- 
tion is absorbed by nearby possibilities rather than by 
remote results. A difficult position may or may not 
be a complicated situation. 

Composer: A problem inventor; usually one whose 
productions have a characteristic style. 

Compound stroke: Two or more exchanges coming 
together, one caused by another. Example: The fol- 
lowing finish to a Bristol game, by C. M. Potterdon, 
as given in Gould's Matches, page 258: 

COMPOUND STROKE 

WHITE 



■ ■ ■ P 



"m0m0\ 



%?.:^=^.%;^.:^i^i^^^^^ 

^9n 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 15-19, 16-7, 14-17, 21-14, 10-26, 30-16, 
20-2. Black wins. 

Conception: The basic idea in a problem. Exam- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 41 

pie : The Byars problem, in which it is necessary to 
sacrifice the king, is a fine conception. 

Confined state: When a piece is so held in one of 
the border squares of the board that it is practically 
out of play, it is said to be in a confined state, or 
situation. Examples : A white man in the upper square 
of Black's double corner while the other square is 
occupied by a black piece ; two kings in the adjoining 
squares of the single corner, unable to get out on 
account of the presence of an opposing king on an 
adjacent square ; a man on a side square backing up 
a king, neither of which can get away, on account of 
a nearby opposing king. The inert single piece in the 
double corner is the case usually referred to when this 
term is used by expositors of the theory of the move. 

Constitution of openings: The moves of which an 
opening is composed. Example: Is 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 
25-18, 9-13, 23-19, Single Corner or Will o' the Wisp? 

Constitutional checkers: A kind of draughts men- 
tioned in the edition of Hoyle's Games published in 
1826, thus : 'Tt has been lately introduced. One size 
board consists of nine rows containing 81 squares, 41 
black and 40 white. Some of the men are distin- 
guished by a turret, and are empowered to take back- 
ward, as in the Polish game. This game is usually 
played on the white checks, requiring 13 men on a 
side. Playing on the black checks, with 14 men each, 
reduces the game to a certainty, there being no double 
corner." 

Constructive problemist: An inventor of positions 
embodying ingenious ideas, whether of theoretical in- 



42 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

terest or practical value. Dr. T. J. Brown is consid- 
ered the master composer of this class of problems. 
O. H. Richmond was regarded by Dr. Purcell as the 
^'finest constructive problemist" of the latter part of 
the nineteenth century. The compositions of the ana- 
htical school are characterized by technical difficulties 
rather than by the "pleasing element" so constantly 
sought by constructive problemists. 

Consultation game: One in which the moves are 
determined by the united efforts of two or more per- 
sons against one or more. 

Continental works : Books on the game in Spanish, 
French, ItaHan. or other Continental languages, but 
especially in Spanish. 

Continuation : Carrying the play to a farther point 
than that at which it was left. This term is not to 
be confounded with "additional play." 

Contributed: A problem of unknown authorship 
sent to a checker publication as a fine specimen of 
the composer's art, is sometimes headed, "Contrib- 
uted," to show that it was chosen by some one other 
than the editor. The word "Selected" is frequently 
used when such a problem is chosen directly by the 
editor. 

Controversies: As mediums for discussions and 
disputes, checker magazines and columns have been 
eagerly used. An astonishing amount of heat has 
found its way into print. Checker players, however, 
are friendly enemies, and milder and less wordy forms 
of contention than those prevalent in the seventies 
of tlie last century have come into vogue. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 43 

Some of the most extended controversies regarding 
play are described in the Draughts Players' Quar- 
terly Review for September, 1889, Gould's Matches, 
page 263, and the Draughts World for April, 1904. 
Some of the openings that have given rise to a large 
amount of controversy are: Black Doctor, Switcher, 
Old Fourteenth, Fife, Single Corner, Laird and Lady, 
Will o' the Wisp, and Ayrshire Lassie. See "Switcher 
controversy." 

Converse in figures: To discuss games and posi- 
tions by stating the moves, instead of making them 
on the board. 

Cook : Winning play previously prepared or "cooked 
up" for a special occasion. 

Copyright : The games played in important matches 
and tournaments are regarded as private property, 
in checker ethics. Permission to publish the games 
in complete book or serial form is obtained by purchase 
or agreement from the players or other persons to 
whom the games belong. Current reports are made 
by mentioning the openings adopted, the general line 
of play followed, and the result, and presenting as 
many complete endings as may be thought desirable. 
Whether the practice of recognizing the copyright 
claim in games played in public is good ethics has 
been the subject of controversy. 

Cor. p. p.: Corrects published play. 

Cornered: Not permitted to escape; more particu- 
larly applied to a piece on an outside square that can- 
not move without being captured, especially to a piece 
on 4 or 29. 



44 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Correct play: A single move or a series of moves 
regarded by experts as the proper course to take. 

Correction: Play demonstrating a different result 
from that previously shown. 

Cowan's coup: The following position by M. 
Cowan, an account of which is given in the Draughts 
Players' Quarterly Review for December, 1895 : 

COWAN'S COUP 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 

Solution: 14-17, 21-5, 10-14, 19-10, 12-26, 5-1, 26-30, 
1-5, 30-25. Drawn. 

Count the moves: To reckon the number of moves 
of either or both sides necessary to reach a certain 
point, or complete a particular formation. A different 
meaning is attached to the phrase, ''call for a count," 
which has the same significance as "claim a draw." See 
also ''Count up the move," which has a meaning of 
its own. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 45 

Count up the move : Reckoning which side has the 
move, by counting the number of pieces in either of 
the two systems of squares of which the board is 
composed. 

Counterpart: The moves of one player duphcated 
by the other. Frank Dunne, in a note to Game 14, 
Fifth Enghsh Tournament, 1900, says : ''Counterpart 
games are dangerous experiments." 

Coup: A decisive play of unsuspected importance, 
particularly a shot producing a surprising result. Ex- 
ample: See ''Cowan's coup." 

Cramped : Hard pressed for freedom of action ; 
especially applicable to a squad of pieces on the side 
with no safe outlet. Relieving a cramped position is 
called "loosening up." 

Credit: The name of the originator attached to a 
game, variation, or solution. Conscientious compilers 
endeavor to give credit for all play, based strictly 
on priority of publication. Authors who ignore the 
practice of giving credit, or give themselves credit 
for the essentials by making alterations in an ending, 
are charged with thieving. By means of credit the 
development of the game as a science can be traced 
chronologically. 

A general writer on pastimes has remarked with as- 
tonishment that none of the standard openings has been 
named for any distinguished player, in marked contrast 
with names of chess openings. An explanation may be 
found in the custom of giving credit at the end of 
variations to the individuals who first established them. 

Crescent: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 



46 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

8-1 1, 26-23. First given in the Draught Board for 
May, 1889. Compare "Cross." 

Critical position: A stage of a game at which great 
nicety of play is necessary; usually shown on a dia- 
gram in books recording the play of matches and 
tournaments. See "Critical situation." 

Critical situation: Used by Payne,, Sturges, and 
some others to cover what was later known as a 
problem. The term "critical position" has been em- 
ployed in the same way. 

Critics: Those who are in the habit of watching 
checker columns, periodicals, and books for unsound, 
old, or weak play, and reporting their findings to 
editors. 

Cross: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18. First 
given in Drummond's second edition, 1851, the con- 
tinuation being 8-1 1, 27-23. Compare "Crescent." 

Cross-board play: That which occurs in the usual 
way, over the board, as distinguished from that done 
by correspondence or analysis. 

Cross-Choice: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 
9-14. Given in the Recreationist for January, 1873. 
Has also been called Choice-Cross and Cross Crossed. 
See also ''Choice." 

Crosses: See "Design problems." 

Crowd the piece: To compel it to seek safety, par- 
ticularly in a side square. Changeling for "squeeze 
the piece." 

Crown : The piece that is placed on another to make 
it a king. 

Crown squares: Same as "Kingrow." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 47 

Crown the man : To place a man on top of a single 
piece when it reaches the opposite kingrow, thus 
making it a king. 

Crownhead: Same as ''Kingrow," and preferred 
by British writers to that term. 

Cuckoo: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
22-18. Mentioned in Dunne's Guide, 1890. 

Cut : A direct exchange ; sometimes called a pushed- 
out exchange, to distinguish it from an indirect ex- 
change, in which the piece moved is not the one that 
is captured. Example: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18 is a 
cut. Some of the early writers used the term cut 
as synonymous with an exchange of any kind. It 
has also been used in place of "stroke." 

Cut-up: The opening formed b}/ 11-15, 22-18. Given 
in Anderson's first edition, 1848. This title had been 
used in the report of the Anderson-Wyllie match of 
1847. I^ Drummond's second edition, 185 1, it was 
called "Exchange." In Anderson's second edition, 
1852, it was called "Single Corner." 

Cut-up Cross: The opening formed by 11 -15, 23-18, 
8-1 1, 18-14, as mentioned in the Campbell-Reed match 
games, 1888. 



Dambord: Said in Kear's Sturges to be the correct 
spelling for the more usual "dambrod." 

Dambrod : Same as "Brod." Following the French 
name for the game, the board became known as a 
dames board, or dambrod. 



48 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Dameh: Poetic for the goddess of checkers; some- 
times used as a kind of classical name for the game. 
The origin of this word seems to be unknown; the 
spelling is perhaps a corruption of the Continental 
word, dama. 

Dames: An early name for the game in Great 
Britain, adopted apparently from the French. Kear's 
Sturges states that the following definition is to be 
found in Cotgrave's French Dictionary, published in 
London in 1650: ''Dames — The playe on the outside 
of a paire of tables called draughts." 

D. B. : Draught Board, a magazine, by J. Tonar, 
Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1869. 

Deans's position: The following position by E. 
Deans, Glasgow, Scotland: 



DEAXS'S POSITION 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 49 

Solution: 10-15, 1-6, 15-19. 6-10, 19-23. 10-14, 11-15, 
14-9, 2y2-j, 9-14, 2'j-i2. 14-9, 15-11, 9-14. 12-16, 14-18, 
16-19, 18-22, 19-23, 28-24, 11-15. 20-16, 12-2^, 24-20, 
28-24. 16-12, 15-11, 22-18, 23-26. Black wins. 

Debut: Sometimes used as a synonym for "Open- 
ing." 

Dee: The opening formed by 10-14, 22-18, 11-15. 
First given in the Draught Board for May, 1869. 

Deep game: Occasionally used enthusiastically as 
a title for the game of checkers. 

Defense: The move or moves which constitute the 
reply to an attack. This term does not necessarily 
carry the idea of weakness, as a sound defense is 
equivalent to a counter attack. 

Defensive play: This term is commonly applied 
to a safe and easy course to obtain a draw. When 
the idea of winning is carried along with tliat of 
ease and safety the phrase "strong defensive play" is 
used. 

Defiance: The opening formed by 11- 15, 23-19, 
9-14, 2'/-2}y. First given in Anderson's first edition, 
1848. In Anderson's second edition, 1852, it is stated 
that the opening was so named because it defies or 
prevents the Fife game, which was played by Wyllie 
in their 1847 ^Tiatch. The characteristic move of the 
Defiance opening is 27-23. 

Demand a count: Same as "Claim a draw." 

Dermy: i. The opening fonned by the single move, 
10-14. First given in the second volume of Drum- 
mond's fourth edition, 1866. John Drummond lived 
in Denny, Scotland. 2. David Kirkwood used the 



50 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

nom de plume "Denny" in many of his contributions 
to checker Hterature. 

Denvir row: Colloquial for a single line of four 
or more pieces of the same color across the middle 
of the board. Similar straight lines springing from 
the Dyke opening are usually called Dyke formations. 

Design problems: Positions whose outlines are in- 
tended to represent some well known object. Exam- 
ple: The American Checker Review for April, 1893, 
gives a series of problems by C. F. Barker represent- 
ing the numbers, i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, o. Many 
problems have appeared in the forms of capital let- 
ters. Other common shapes are crosses, diamonds, 
squares, quadrilaterals, pyramids, and arrows. 

Dewar stroke: The famous shot by Alexander 
Dewar against Wyllie occurring at the close of the 
following game: 11-15, 22-17, I5-I9' 24-15, 10-19, 
23-16, 12-19, 25-22, 8-1 1, 17-13, 4-8, 22-18, 9-14, 18-9, 
5-14, 27-24, 11-15, 32-27, 7-10, 29-25, 2-7, 25-22, 8-12, 

22-17, 7-1 1, 26-22, 14-18, 2.'J-2'}^, 18-27, 22-18, 15-22, 
24-8, 27-32, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 1-5, 28-24, 32-28, 

14-9, 28-19, 9-2, 19-15, 2-6, 12-16 (forming the posi- 
tion), 13-9, 3-12, 31-27, 5-14, 30-26, 22-31, 6-9, 31-24, 
9-27. White wins. 

This shot has been incorrectly credited to Wyllie 
and to Seton. The shot is avoided and a draw ob- 
tained by playing 5-9 instead of 12-16. 

Diagonal: See "Long diagonal"; also "Double dia- 
gonal." 

Diagonal game: This is the name given to a fanci- 
ful way of placing the pieces at the start by which 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



51 



the long diagonal is left clear, as mentioned in Twiss's 
Miscellanies, London, 1805, and shown in the follow- 
ing diagram: 

DIAGONAL GAME 



0»0i 















Oym/ 97/^^myZ^ 









BLACK 



Diagram : An illustration of a checkerboard showing 
the pieces in place for a game, position, or problem. 
When no pieces are shown, it is called a blank dia- 
gram. When used to show the location of the num- 
bers of the squares, it is called a reference board. 

Diana: The opening formed by the single move, 
11-16, according to the nomenclature suggested by 
John Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 

Dick's gambit: The Fife opening extended as fol- 
lows by George Dick: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9' 
26-23, 7-1 1, 17-13, 3-7, 25-22, 11-16, 29-25, 7-1 1, 
31-26, 1-5, 21-17, 14-21, 23-18, 16-23, 26-19. 



52 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Direct exchange: One in which a piece is moved 
out to be captured ; as distinguished from an indirect 
exchange, in which a piece is moved to allow another 
piece to be captured. Examples: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 
25-18, is a direct exchange; 12-16, 24-20, 11-15, 20-11, 
7-16, or 11-16, 24-20, 9-14, 20-11, 8-15, is an indirect 
exchange. 

Doctor: Same as ''Black Doctor." When the single 
word. Doctor, is used as the title of an opening, it 
refers to the Black Doctor opening.' The plural term. 
Doctors, is used to embrace the various Doctor forma- 
tions, specifically termed Black Doctor, White Doctor, 
Colored Doctor. 

Doctor of the West: Same as "Black Doctor." 

Doctor refused: Same as ''Black Doctor refused." 

Dodger: The 3-7 move in the Single Corner open- 
ing extended as follows in game 161 of the Interna- 
tional ^latch in Boston, 1905: 11-15,, 22-18, 15-22, 
25-18, 12-16, 29-25, 9-13, 18-14, 10-17, 21-14, 16-20, 
23-18, 6-10, 25-21, 10-17, 21-14, 2-6, 26-23, 13-17, 
31-26, 7-1 1, 23-19, 3-7. Interesting notes on this 
formation by A. J. Heffner are given on page 137 of 
the International ]\Iatch Games book. Great Britain 
vs. United States, Boston, 1906. 

Double Comer: i. The opening formed by the 
single move, 9-14. First given in the Draught Board 
for May, 1869, as 9-14, 22-18, 5-9, to distinguish it 
from the Choice opening, there given as 9-14, 22-18, 
11-15. 2. The corner of the board shared by two 
squares, as distinguished from the single corner. 

Double Corner Dyke: The opening formed by 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 53 

9-14, 22-17, 11-16, 2y22, 16-19. Given in Francis 
Tescheleit's analysis of this opening in the American 
Checker Review for July, 1893. The same formation 
is produced by the Dyke-Switcher thus: 11-15, 22-17, 
9-14, 25-22, 15-19; and by the Switcher-Dyke thus: 
11-15, 21-17, 9-14, 25-21, 15-19. 

Double cut: Two exchanges forced by a single cut 
move. See "Double exchange." 

Double diagonal: The double line of squares ex- 
tending from double comer to double corner. 

Double exchange: Two exchanges forced by a 
single move. Example: 11- 15, 22-17, ^S~^9f 24-15, 
10-19, 23-16, 12-19. This is also called a double cut. 
Following is an example of a double exchange which 
is not a double cut: 11-16, 23-18, 9-13, 24-20, 5-9, 
20-11, 8-15, 1 8-1 1, 7-16. Taking two pieces in one 
turn is a double jump, and is not called a double 
exchange. 

Double jump : Taking two pieces in one turn. See 
"Double exchange." 

Double stroke: Two strokes coming together, one 
causing the other. 

Douglas: The opening formed by 11-15. 22-17, 
8-1 1. 17-13, 4-8, 2y22. Given in the English Draught 
Player for March, 1882 (previously suggested by 
Frank Dunne in the Magnet) as an appropriate title, 
because the first game on the opening of recorded 
importance was played by Martins and McKerrow, 
both having lived in Douglas, Scotland. John Robert- 
son's somewhat popular title for this opening was 
Ladv of Lorna. 



54 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Downfall: This title for the opening formed by 
9-13, 22-18, was adopted by W. T. Walton in a com- 
pilation in the Canadian Checkerist for October, 1908. 

D. P. Q. R. : Draughts Players' Quarterly Review, 
a magazine, by J. A. Kear & Son, Bristol, England, 
1888. 

D. P. W. B.: Draughts Players' Weekly Bulletin, 
a magazine, by J. A, Kear & Son, Bristol, England, 
1896. 

D. P. W. M.: Draught Players' Weekly Magazine, 
by Robert Frazer, John Ross, and W. Hannah, Glas- 
gow, Scotland, 1885. 

Draughts: The name preferred for the game and 
the pieces in Great Britain, the popular name in 
America being checkers. The term draughts is ap- 
plied to Spanish, Polish, Italian, Turkish and other 
forms of the general pastime, while the term checkers 
is confined to the game played in English speaking 
countries — English draughts. 

Draw: The conclusion that neither side can force 
a win. The correct result of every sound opening 
is a draw. How to find it constitutes the charm of 
the game, and gives the analyst, the student, and the 
private worker unending diversion. A wise critic has 
said: "Every brilliant win is founded on a previous 
brilliant blunder by the other fellow." 

Drawbridge: See "Petterson's drawbridge." 

Driving the king out: It is often convenient, espe- 
cially in problem composing and problem solving, to 
know by which square of the double corner a king 
will leave when forced out by two opposing kings. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 55 

There are several ways of determining this point by 
inspection, W. T. Call's method being to regard the 
single king as two pieces in opposition, and apply 
this rule: 

"If the player having the two kings has the opposi- 
tion the single king will leave the double corner by 
way of the square he is on." 

It is not necessary to state the converse of this 
rule, or to specify the double corner the single king 
is in. The principle is the same if the single king 
happens to be somewhere in the middle of the board 
as if he were on his opposition square in a double 
corner. 

Examples: black king on i, white kings on lo and 
14; White to play. Counting the black king as two 
pieces. White has the opposition, and will force the 
black king out by way of the square he is on, thus: 
14-9, 1-5, 10-14, 5-1, 9-5, 1-6. 

Black king on 18, white kings on 4 and 25 ; White 
to play. Counting the black king as two pieces, White 
has not the opposition, and will force the single king 
out by way of square 5 or square 32, which are not 
his opposition squares. 

Drug: Same as "Black Doctor." 

Drummer: The opening formed by 9-13, 22-18, 
11-16. First given in the Draught Board for May, 
1869, to distinguish it from the Edinburgh opening, 
there given as 9-13, 22-18, 10-15. 

Drummond's Fife shot: The shot by John Drum- 
mond occurring at the close of the following play: 
11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9, 17-13, 14-18, 26-23, 



56 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

9-14, 30-26, 8-1 1, 26-22, 12-16, 19-12, 14-17, 21-14, 
10-26, 31-22, 6-10, 23-14, 10-26. Black wins. 

Dual: The usual application of this term is to a 
problem that can be solved by means of either of 
two initial moves, whether they lead to the same 
solution or to different solutions. This term also ap- 
plies to a problem having only one initial move, but 
containing two essentially different lines of play be- 
ginning anywhere. Two ways of finishing do not 
necessarily constitute a dual, but may be a blemish. 
Compare "Flaw," "Key move," "Two solutions," 

Dual key move: Two initial moves that lead to the 
same solution, or to two different solutions. This term 
is not usually applied to two key moves that occur 
in the body of the solution. 

Dundee: The opening formed by the single move, 
12-16. So named by A. J. Dunlap in the Turf, Field 
and Farm in 1865, in compliment to the players of the 
Dundee Draughts Club for their analysis of it in the 
Dundee Weekly News, Scotland. This title first ap- 
peared in the Draught Board for May, 1869, where 
it is applied to the opening 12-16, 24-20, 11-15, to 
distinguish it from the Black Switcher, there given 
as 12-16, 24-20, 8-12. 

Dundee-Cross: The opening formed by 12-16, 
23-18. So called because the reply to the character- 
istic move of the Dundee opening is the characteristic 
move of the Cross opening. 

Dunne's win: The win for the white side demon- 
strated by analysis in Dunne's Guide, 1890, page 93, 
in the formation produced by the Double Corner open- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 57 

ing extended as follows: 9-14, 22-17, 11-16, 25-22, 
16-20, 24-19, 8-1 1, 22-18, 4-8, 18-9, 5-14, 29-25, 11-16 
(producing the formation referred to), 25-22, 8-1 1, 
22-18, 1-5, 18-9, 5-14, 26-22, 11-15, 30-25, 15-24, 28-19, 
7-1 1, 17-13, 11-15, 22-17, 15-24, 23-19, 16-23, 27-9, 
10-15, 25-22, 24-28, 9-5, 6-10, 5-1, 15-19, 22-18, 19-23, 
1-6, 2-9, 13-6. White wins. 

Duplicating: Contributing the same problem or 
play to two or more publications. Duplicating without 
notice is discountenanced, and is not a common prac- 
tice. See also "Counterpart." 

D. W. : Draughts World, a magazine, by A. Bryson 
& Co., Glasgow, Scotland, 1892. 

Dyke: The opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, I5"i9- 
First given in Anderson's first edition, 1848. In his 
second edition, 1852, Anderson says the title is prob- 
ably due to the fact that "at various stages of the 
game the pieces are frequently formed into straight 
Hnes." The formation produced by 11-16, 22-17, 
16-19, called the Bristol-Dyke, is the same as that 
of the Dyke. 

Dyke it: This term is sometimes used when a 
double exchange is caused in the early part of a game 
by a move similar to that which characterizes the 
Dyke openings. Example: 11-16, 24-19, 8-1 1, 22-18, 
4-8, 18-14. The last move, 18-14, is referred to in 
Dunne's Praxis, 1905, page 142, as the Dyke exchange. 
The effect of the 18-14 move on the game thus started 
is to dyke it. 

Dyke-Switcher: The opening formed by 11-15, 
22-17, 9-14, 25-22, 15-19. Given in the International 



58 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Draughts Magazine for February, 1888. The same 
formation is produced by the Switcher-Dyke thus: 
11-15, 21-17, 9-14, 25-21, 15-19, and by the Double 
Corner Dyke thus: 9-14, 22-17, 11-16, 25-22, 16-19. 



E 

Early wins: Hill's Manual, London, 1893, gives 
thirty examples of early wins, there called traps, in- 
cluding the famous early win by Canalejas, the old 
Spanish author of the seventeenth century, thus: 
11-16, 23-18, 16-20, 24-19, 8-1 1 ; and 19-15, 10-19, 
18-14, wins for White. Another way in which the 
inexperienced player is sometimes enticed into this 
position is: 12-16, 24-19, 16-20, 23-18, 8-12. See also 
"Traps." 

E. C. T. : English Championship Tournament. 

E. D. A.: English Draughts Association. 

Edinburgh: The opening formed by the single 
move, 9-13. The first appearance of this title for the 
9-13 opening in a book is found in Scattergood's Game 
of Draughts, Philadelphia, 1859. J. D. Janvier gave 
this name to the opening in compliment to the players 
of Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Edinburgh-Cross : The opening formed by the char- 
acteristic moves of the Edinburgh opening and the 
Cross opening, thus : 9-13, 23-18. 

Edinburgh-Switcher: The opening formed by the 
characteristic moves of the Edinburgh opening and 
the Switcher opening, thus: 9-13, 21-17. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 59 

Edition : Any change in a book or pamphlet from 
the original first copy issued, whether in text, binding, 
or paper, is classed as an edition. Two or more essen- 
tially different works by the same author are in some 
cases called editions. Example: Anderson's first and 
second editions. 

E. D. P.: English Draughts Player, a magazine by 
J. A. Kear and James Smith, Bristol, England, 1878. 

Eight-men puzzle: See 'Tuzzles." 

Elbow: A colloquial term of inexact significance, 
but commonly applied to three, four, or five pieces in 
elbow-shape formation held by opposing pieces. A 
simple form of elbow is seen in the following situa- 
tion: black men on i, 6, 9; white men on 13, 15, 17. 

Elementary ending: A simple end game of any 
kind; especially two kings against one king, or three 
kings against two kings. First, Second, Third, and 
Fourth positijons, Bowen's Twins, Tregaskis's draw, 
and other standard positions of similar importance, 
are not usually classed as elementary endings. 

Eleven-men match: An innovation in checker con- 
tests, described in the Draught Players' Weekly Mag- 
azine, November 7, 1885, thus: 

"Messrs. Jas. Moir and D. G. McKelvie concluded 
on Friday evening, October 30th, a match of twenty 
games, wins and draws to count, played under the 
following conditions : That the first player remove 
one piece from any of the squares, 9, 10, 11, or 12; 
the second player follows by removing a piece from 
21, 22, 23, or 24, Black to move, and the game to 
proceed. Commenced on Friday, September nth. 



60 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

There have been in all twelve sittings. Moir won 3, 
iMcKelvie 3, drawn 14. What a field for speculation 
is opened up by this innovation! We may yet see 
II, 10, or 9 men champions. Some may desire to add 
a man to the old-fashioned 12; some two; others may 
cast an evil eye on the board itself." 

The eleven-men match idea has been found useful 
to advanced players when taunted by "natural" players 
with depending more on memory than on skill. 

Elimination: The process often employed by ex- 
perts in solving problems, by which the worthless 
lines of play are picked out and cast aside, thus re- 
ducing the choice of moves to a minimum. The re- 
verse of this method is commonly followed by the 
inexperienced, who usually endeavor to solve a prob- 
lem by trying what appear to be the best moves first. 

Eliza Cook: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 
1014, 25-22, 7-10, 24-20, 12-16. So named in Drum- 
mond's third edition, 1861. 

Elucidate: To make clear by means of a complete 
overhauling. Thus the People's Draughts Book, 
Dundee, Scotland, 1898, says : "Many lines which have 
taken years of study and analysis to elucidate are 
here given for the first time." 

E'mu : A game of the early tribes of New Zealand 
that has been referred to by travelers as a form of 
draughts. 

En prise: Exposed to instant capture. Thie is a 
chess term, and is seldom used in works devoted 
exclusively to checkers. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 61 

End game: The third stage of a game, the other 
two stages being the opening and the midgame. Prob- 
lems of practical value are often called end games. 

Ending: Same as **End game," except that it is 
not used as a synonym for problem. 

English draughts: The game of checkers. The 
preface to Walker's Sturges, London, 1835, says: 
"Of the several varieties of draughts the two principal 
are English draughts (I thus designate the common 
game exemplified in the work before us) and Polish 
draughts." 

Enigmas: Large stroke problems of the built- 
to-order class are sometimes disparagingly called 
enigmas. 

Equal game: As good for one side as for the other. 

Erie: The opening formed by 11- 15, 22-17, 8-1 1, 
17-13, 9-14. Given in Janvier's Sturges, 1881, and 
mentioned in lists published previous to that time. 

Even exchange: One in which a player loses the 
same number of pieces he captures. 

Even pieces: One player having the same number 
of pieces that the other player has. 

Examples: Used by Payne, Sturges, and some of 
their successors to mean games and variations. Stur- 
ges says of his Guide, published in i8cx): "It contains 
at least 500 more examples than his" [Payne's work]. 
Wyllie's first work, 1852, is entitled "Examples of the 
Game of Draughts.'' 

Exchange: i. The opening formed by 11-15, 22-18. 
This title for the Single Corner opening was given in 
Drummond's second edition, 185 1. 2. To give one or 



62 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

more pieces in exchange. This is a general term cov- 
ering cuts, strokes, shots, breaks, swaps, and coups. 

Exhausted charge: The claim sometimes made as 
a belittling charge that a correct reply to every sound 
move in checkers has been discovered by proficients. 
That the game, being an exact science, has been over- 
hauled with practical thoroughness, so far as essen- 
tials are concerned, is conceded by experts. Its value 
as a pastime is found in the vastness of its plausible 
possibilities, and the limitations of the human memory. 

Exhibition: A public performance of an expert, 
usually by blindfold or simultaneous play. 

Exhibition match: One in which the players per- 
form for entertainment, or to assist in settling a con- 
troversy, as distinguished from a match in which they 
compete for a stake. 

Expert: One who has mastered the play in the 
works of the recognized authorities on the game, and 
is familiar with the underlying principles of all the 
well-known problems and positions. 



False or improper move: Any move that is not 
legitimate according to the strict meaning of the rules 
of the game. Examples : moving a man backward ; 
moving a piece belonging to the opposing side; jump- 
ing too far; picking up the wrong piece when a cap- 
ture is made ; moving a piece too far or in the wrong 
direction ; moving out of turn. The penalty for mak- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 63 

ing a false or improper move is forfeiting the game. 
Making a move in place of a jump does not come 
under this head, a special penalty being provided for 
that particular kind of misplay. See "Huff." 

As the term "false or improper move" has not been 
officially defined, a disputed case would necessarily be 
settled by an arbiter, as provided for by the Standard 
Laws. 

Familiar lines: Those that have become generally- 
known through books or other published play. 

Famous five : A term applied by Hugh Henderson 
to the contemporary Scotch experts whose names are 
here arranged alphabetically : Buchanan, Ferrie, Jor- 
dan, Searight, Stewart. 

Fancy stroke: A fine stroke problem that would 
probably never occur in any game. 

Fanny Glen: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 
10-14, 25-22, 7-10, 24-20, 10-15. So named in Drum- 
mond's fourth edition, 1866. 

Fanny Kay: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 10-15. So 
named in Drummond's third edition, 1861. 

Farmer: Same as "Goose walk." 

Fathers of the game: William Payne, who pub- 
lished the earliest treatise on the game in the English 
language, in 1756, and Joshua Sturges, who published 
his epoch-making Guide to the Game of Draughts in 
1800. It is not uncommon to apply this title to the 
following early author-players as a group: Payne, 
Sturges, Sinclair, Hay, Drummond, Anderson, Mar- 



64 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



tins, Wyllie. A medal used as a prize by the checker 
club in New York in 1865 bore the names of the 
''Fathers of the Game," including with the eight above 
given those of Mcintosh and Drysdale. 

Fifth position: F. Tescheleit in the British 
Draughts Player, Whilter opening, thus distinguishes 
the following situation, which occurs in old play on 
various openings, and this title was adopted in Lees's 
Guide, Kear's Sturges, and other works. 

FIFTH POSITION 

WHITE 



1 H_^ZW^ 



I BoBoBo 

I «^«s*^ 



« « « fc 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 

Solution: 13-17, 22-13, 6-10, 13-9, 11-15, 9-6, 15-24, 
23-19, 24-27, 6-2, 27-31, 2-6, 31-27, 6-15, 27-24, 20-16, 
14-18, 15-22, 24-15. Drawn. 

Fife: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 
22-17, 5"9- Given in Drummond's second edition, 
185 1, on the last three pages of the analysis of the 
"Fife Game." In the report of the Anderson-Wyllie 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 65 

match of 1847 the opening is called "The Fifer." 
Wyllie, who lived in the shire of Fife, invented the 
opening, and Drummond named it. In the Wyllie- 
Jordan Match Games, 1896, a note on page 2"] reads: 
"Wyllie claims that it takes seven moves to form the 
game, as he played it, 5-9 being followed by 17-13 
and 14-18, to give the offer of the three for two shot." 

Figure problems: See "Design problems." 

Fill in: To back up a piece with another of the 
same color. 

Finish: The concluding moves of a solution, or of 
a game. 

Fireside player: One who regards the game as 
an amusing diversion rather than as a scientific pas- 
time. 

Fireworks: Play of unquestionable brilliancy but 
of questionable soundness. Also a showy display of 
harmless exchanges in rapid succession. 

First off: Same as "Losing game." 

First player: This term is usually confined to the 
one who has the black pieces, because the first move 
in every game is made by that side. For a similar 
reason the one who has the white pieces is referred 
to as the second player. 

First position : This is the most important position 
in the game of checkers, and is ever present in the 
calculations players and problemists. The unusual 
variety of settings belonging to this position will not 
mystify the learner who masters the finishing prin- 
ciples. It is given in the first English work on the 
game, Payne, 1756, as follows: 



66 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



FIRST POSITION 

WHITE 






BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution given by Payne: 6-i, 5-9, 10-15, (a) 9-5, 
15-18, 5-9, 1-5, 9-6, 18-15, 21-17, 5-1, 6-9, 15-18, 
9-5, 18-22, 17-14, 1-6, 5-1, 6-2, 14-10, 22-18, 1-5, 
18-14. Black wins. 

(a) 21-17, 15-18, 17-13, 18-15, 9-14, 1-5, 14-17, 
15-10, 17-22, 10-14, 22-25, 5-1, 25-22, 1-6, 22-25, 6-10, 
25-30, 10-15, 30-25, 15-18. Black wins. 

The title given by Payne to First position is "Fourth 
Situation." Sturges, 1800, gives the same position 
and solution in No. i of his "Critical Situations"; 
hence the title. First position. 

The idea involved may be presented in numerous 
settings, some of which are here given. Payne's Fifth 
Situation, for instance, is the same thing set back to 
this point: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECICERS 



67 



PAYNE'S SETTING 

WHITE 




i ai 



BLACS 

Black to plav and win. 

Sturges's eleventh Critical Situation is identical with 
the above. Sinclair, 1832, in his first Single Comer 
game reaches this early setting: 

SINCLAIR'S SETTING 



Black to play and win. 



68 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



In xA^nderson's second edition, 1852, the accompany- 
ing setting, evolved from the Bristol opening, is called 
''Position 1st," and in the third edition, 1878, by R. 
McCulloch, it is called 'Tirst Position." Anderson's 
setting is as follows: 



ANDERSON'S SETTING 



» m 



■"i«r " 



^S"^ 



i*^ 



B ^ B i 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Drummond, in his third edition, 1861, gives the 
setting shown on the next page. 

The Draught Board for January, 1872, gives the 
earliest possible stage of the position, by Dr. T. J. 
Brown, shown on the next page. 

This setting is known as First position in embryo, 
an exhaustive analysis of which is given in Gould's 
Problems, 1884. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 69 

DRUMMOND'S SETTING 

WHITE 



\M. « « « 



I » ^ j^ 



\//I& 






^ » ■ 1 
B B B i 



BLACK 

White to play; Black wins. 



FIRST POSITION IN EMBRYO 

WHITE 



■ ■ ■ A 
WW WW 

i, .B H H,„„„ 



» 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



70 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



First position in embryo: See "First position." 
First position without the move: The following 
position by M. H. C. Wardell, Colchester, X. Y. : 

THE WARDELL POSITION 

WHITE 




BL-\CK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 15-10, 22-17, ^0-7, (a) 5-1, 6-9, 17-13, 
9-5, i-6, 5-1, 6-9, 7-10. 9-6. 1014. 6-2. 14-9. B wins. 

(a) 17-13. 6-1, 5-9. 7-10. 9-6, 10-14. Black wins. 

First side: The player having the black pieces. 

First twelve squares: The squares numbered i to 
12, occupied by the black pieces .at the start. 

Five-minute rule : That paragraph in the Standard 
Laws which allows five minutes to a move, with a 
minute grace after time has been called. 

Fixed strokes: Those that occur regularly in cer- 
tain openings. Example: The "big stroke" of the 
Old Fourteenth opening. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 71 

Flaw : A defect occorring at any point in the solu- 
uon ot a problem that mars the beauty or oontinmty 
of the idea without affecting the result. Elxamples: 
starting with a capture, or with a move that is un- 
mistakably forced; two distinctly different ways, in 
the body of a solution, of leading up to a critical point. 
A mere diange in the order of preparatory moves, 
as, for instance, in the mancenvring in some of the 
phases of First position, does not constitute a flaw. Nor 
does a mere choice of pathways to reach an object 
square, as, for instance, in getting from square i to 
square 9 by way of square 5 or square 6. A flaw 
does not invalidate a problem, bat lessens its worth 
as a gem. Compare **DuaL" 

Flora Temple: The Single Comer opening ex- 
tended as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 9-13. 
So named in Drummond's fourth edition, 1866. 

PoDowed by: This phrase signifies that the moves 
referred to are those of one player only. Example: 
9-14 followed by 5-9 means that no matter what 
White's reply is to 9-14, Black's succeeding move is 
to be 5-9. 

Fool's loss: The following early loss: 10-15, 23-19, 
6-10, 22-17, 11-16. White wins by 17-13. This term 
is used by James Lees in his notes to the eighteenth 
game in the Ferrie- Jordan match of 1896. The move 
made in that game instead of 11-16 was 1-6. Com- 
pare *E:arly W^ins." 

Forced: The only good fighting move the defense 
has. This term is rarely appUed to the necessary 
moves of the stronger side. Elxample: With two 



72 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



kings against one king retreating to the double corner, 
the moves of the latter are forced, and the result is 
a forced win. 

Fourth position: The following position given in 
Anderson's third edition, 1878, edited by R. Mc- 
CuUoch : 

FOURTH POSITION 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and win; 

or. 
White to play and draw. 



Solution, Black to play: 28-24, 32-28, 24-20, 28-32, 
22-18, 31-27, 23-19, 27-31, 19-24, 32-27, 24-28, 27-32, 
18-22, 31-27, 22-26, 30-23, 28-24. Black wins. 

Solution, White to play: 31-27, 23-19, 27-31, 19-24, 
32-27, 24-20, 27-32, 22-18, 31-27, 28-24, 27-31, 18-23, 
31-26. Drawn. 

In Payne's work, 1756, this position is given as 
two separate situations. In Anderson's second edition. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 73 

1852, the draw is given as the "6th Position," while 
"4th Position" in that book is an entirely different 
position, having no relation to what is now universally 
termed Fourth position. 

Forced stroke: One or more pieces of the weaker 
side driven into position for the exchange. See "Slo- 
cum stroke.'' 

Forfeited: Lost because of not conforming to the 
laws or conditions agreed upon. 

Fork: A king behind two pieces, one of which 
cannot avoid capture. In the "breeches" the king 
is between two pieces in a line; in a fork the king 
and two pieces form a \'. 

Formation: Any arrangement of pieces, but espe- 
cially alignments that are characteristic of certain 
openings or games. Examples : the situations peculiar 
to the Dyke and Doctor openings. 

Forty-move rule: That paragraph of the Standard 
Laws which compels a player to show some decided 
advantage within forty of his own moves, or draw. 

French draughts: The game of checkers in France 
before Polish draughts was introduced. See "Ancient 
French game." 

Friendly match: A private or public contest for 
amusement, or to settle some disputed point for 
mutual satisfaction, the reputation of the participants 
not being endangered. 



74 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Gain a move: See ''Spare move." 

Gain the opposition: Same as to get the move. 
See "Opposition." 

Gambit: A chess term occasionally used by some 
writers on checker subjects, meaning that a piece 
is sacrificed, usually at an early stage, to obtain a 
desired position. The most common so-called gambits 
are those of the Doctors, the Fife, and the Double 
Corner. Others are to be found in the Denny, Cross, 
Edinburgh, Second Double Corner, Alma, and Single 
Corner openings. Atwell's Scientific Draughts, Bris- 
tol, England, 1905, devotes a chapter to "Gambits." 

Game: i. The pastime itself. 2. Each single con- 
test, separately considered. 3. A trunk from which 
variations spring. 4. All the play belonging to an 
opening ; as, for instance, the Laird and Lady game. 

Game of problems: The Laird and Lady opening 
has been so designated by some commentators, be- 
cause of the number of intricate positions to be found 
in it. 

Games up: The number of games to be played, 
including wins and draws. Also the number of wins 
to be made, draws not being counted. A player who 
has secured one or more games ahead of his opponent 
is said to be so many games up. 

Gem: A particularly clean cut problem, not nec- 
essarily difficult, but clearly brilliant, especially one 
of a few pieces in a neat setting. Example : the Byars 
problem. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 75 

German draughts: Same as Miner Polish draughts. 
See "P<rfish draughts." 

Get the niovc : Same as gain the opposition. See 
'X^ppositxxi.'^ 

Get through: To reach the opposite kingrow with 
a {Hece that is hard pressed for time or rocxn. Also 
to succeed in making a draw mider diflicnlties. 

Give the draws: To allow an opponent to count 
erenr game he does not lose as a win for his side. 

Give-away game: Chai^plii^ for '^Losii^ game." 

G. J.: Gentlemen's Joomal, an Finish periodical 
wfaicfa had an interestii^ drai^^its department, 1869. 

Glasgow: The opening formed hj 11-15, 23-197 
8-1 1, 22-17, 11-16. First giren in Drmnmood's second 
edition, 1851. 

Oasgow refused: The opening formed by ir-15, 
23-19, 8-11, 22-17, 11-16, 26-2^. So called because 
die last more, 26-23, makes a different game from 
that pffodoced hj 24-20, the regular move at that point 
of the Qasgow openii^. 

Glasgow- Whilter : The openii^ formed hy 11-15, 
23-19, 8-11, 22-17, 9-14, 25-22, 11-16, 26-23; ^ given 
in the Drai^^fat Board for May, 1869. 

Go after Ae man: To try to capture an exposed 
piece as soon as pos^ble. When the capture is re- 
peated sereral times in snccession, as in the '^Knodc- 
down Bristol,'' die idea is nsnally expressed by the 
phrase, ''mn o£F the man. 

Golden rules: Walker's Sttu^es, 1835, gives the 
fcAywing as the goldoi rules of the game: 



76 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

1. Avoid all boasting and loud talking about your 
skill. 

2. Lose with good temper. 

3. Win with silence and modesty. 
Scattergood, 1859, puts them this way: 

1. Play deliberately. 

2. Win with modesty. 

3. Lose with good temper. 

Dunne's Praxis, 1905, extends them to twelve, thus: 

1. Never touch a piece until you have made up 
your mind to move it. 

2. Never move a piece without a motive. 

3. Accustom yourself to play slowly. 

4. Adhere strictly to the laws of the game. 

5. Compel your opponent to adhere to the laws. 

6. Play with better players, in preference to those 
you can defeat. 

7. Take every opportunity of looking on when good 
players are engaged. 

8. Never touch the squares with your finger when 
calculating. 

9. Eschew the habit of incessantly talking during 
a game. 

10. Show no impatience with an opponent who may 
be slow. 

11. Avoid boasting and talking about your skill. 
12." Lose with good temper, and win with silence 

and modesty. 

Goose walk: This is the name of the most widely 
known trap in the game of checkers. It was published 
by Spanish authors more than a century before the 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



11 



first English book on the game, Payne, 1756, was 
issued. The following extension of the Single Corner 
opening is the Goose Walk: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 
8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 10-15, 25-22, 12-16, 27-24, 
15-19, 24-15, 16-19, 23-16, 9-14, 18-9, 11-25. Black 
wins. 

Gourlay's gem: The following fine conception by 
R. A. Gourlay, Denver, Colo., given in the Draught 
Players' Weekly Magazine for January 30, 1886, Solu- 
tion No. 7: 

GOURLAY'S GEM 

WHITE 



mr'''^'^'^S 



'im M 



^ ^ W^ 



^'«^ 



m m .• M„ 



y// 



////M^=^,V//M 



^^^ 
^•# 



i /•_» ,, 



1 » g 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 12-16,20-11,6-10, 17-13,9-14, 11-7, 10-15, 
13-9, 14-17. Drawn. 

Grace Darling: The Single Corner opening ex- 
tended as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 
29-25, 4-8, 25-22, 11-16, 24-20, 8-1 1, 27-24, 10-15. 
So named in Drummond's fourth edition, 1866. 



78 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Great secret: A magnified notion of the power of 
what is technically known as the move. Ill-informed 
persons like to cherish the idea that there is a universal 
key to the game which makes acquired knowledge and 
skill unnecessary. 

Greek gift: Same as "Scotch sacrifice." 

Grip: A check on the freedom of one or more of 
the opposing pieces. Example : In Second position the 
winner has a winning grip which he is able to hold 
to the end. Stubborn players frequently prolong an 
ending tediously by getting a grip that may be an- 
noying, but does not win. 

Guerrilla: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, 14-18; as given by A. J. Hef?ner in. the 
Guide Post, Minneapolis, for December, 1903. Heflf- 
ner proposed to test the soundness of the 14-18 move 
by playing the black side in the columns of that pub- 
lication against all comers. 

Guessing: Gloving without comprehending the 
nature of the situation. When a position is being 
discussed by a group of experts, the onlookers who 
make suggestions are usually open to the charge of 
guessing. 



H 



Handicap : An allowance of any kind to put con- 
testants on an even footing. Example : Permitting the 
weaker player to count all draws as wins for his side. 

Having the move in a system: This phrase refers 
to the question of whether the fight will be focussed 



VOCABULARY OF CHFXKERS 79 

in the system of squares beginning on the right hand 
side of the board, or in the other system, which begins 
on the left hand side. Its usefulness is confined to 
anticipating the two important positions known as 
Payne's draw and Tregaskis's draw. See "Opposi- 
tion." 

Hay's shot: The old Fourteenth opening extended 
by William Hay, 1838, as follows: 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 
22-17, 4-8, 17-13. 15-18, 24-20, 9-14, 26-23, 10-15. 
19-10, 6-15, 28-24, 12-16, 23-19 (the shot), 16-23, 
20-16, 11-20, 25-22, 18-25, 27-4. White wins. 

Heat: Generally the same as ''round." The term 
heat is sometimes applied to the additional games 
played to decide a tied score. 

Hedley's nomenclature: See ''Patterson's open- 
ings." 

Hefter's Centre shot: The shot occurring at the 
close of the following game between C. F. Barker 
and C. Hefter: 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 15-18, 17-14, 
10-17, 21-14, 11-16, 19-15, 4-8, 24-20, 16-19, 26-22, 
7-11, 31-26, 2-7, 22-17, 9-^3' 26-23 (the shot), 13-22, 
23-16, 12-19, H-io, 7-14, 27-23, 19-26, 30-23, 18-27, 
25-2, 11-18, 32-14. White wins. 

Herd Laddie: The famous nickname of James 
Wyllie, who was a farmer's lad in Scotland when 
his reputation as a player began to spread. 

Herd's: In the report of the Anderson- Wyllie 
match of 1847 this title was given to the Second 
Double Corner opening, which in Anderson's first 
edition, 1848, is called "Wyllie's invincible game." 

Hesperus: The opening formed by the single move, 



80 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

12-16, according to the nomenclature suggested by 
John Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 

Hidden wonders: Those who have only a super- 
ficial understanding of the pastime are likely to 
be astonished at the vast number of overpowering 
mysteries that dazzle the intellect as they advance in 
knowledge of the possibilities of this absurdly simple 
looking game. Experts themselves are frequently 
amazed at the truth concealed in some position calling 
for a seemingly impossible result. The following 
quotation is from Belasco's Elementary Guide to the 
Scientific Game of Draughts, London. 1888: 

"Played well, we know of no other pastime so 
replete with hidden wonders, or possessing so bound- 
less and increasing a fascination for those who ac- 
quire a liking for it. as the noble and ancient one of 
which we are writing.'" 

High numbers: The squares numbered 21 to 32, 
occupied by the white pieces at the start. 

Hillfoot Champion: The popular nickname of the 
noted Scottish expert. James Moir. 

Hold the man: To stop the progress of a man. 
Also, when a man ahead, to be able to keep that 
advantage. 

Holding back the piece: Refraining from moving 
a certain piece until a later stage of the game is 
reached than that at which it is usually moved. This 
idea is distinctly different from that of a ''waiting 
move," and modern experts have used it with telling 
advantage, particularly in the development of play 
between the opening and the midgame. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



81 



Holding the man: In the standard position known 
as Payne's draw the single piece is held on the left 
hand side of the board. In Tregaskis's draw it is 
held on the right hand side of the board. It occa- 
sionally happens that the defender has to choose at 
an early stage which position to play for, as shown, 
for instance, in the following situation, given by J. K. 
Lyons in his brochure on the Theory of the Move, 
Seacombe, England, 1896: 

PAYNE'S DRAW 



m. 



1 B B B^ 
B B B M 

Wm m M Wi 



BLACK 

Black to play and get Payne's draw. 



Solution: 7-1 1, 22-17, ii-i5» i7-i4> 23-19, 24-20, 
15-11, 14-10, 19-15, 10-6, 11-8, 6-2, 15-11, 31-27, 8-12. 
Payne's draw. 

Explanation : To determine which of the two pieces 
to hold, W. T. Call's method is to put a dummy piece, 



82 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

or imagine it, on the single corner square of the two 
defending kings, and apply this rule: 

If the two kings, with the aid of the imaginary 
piece, have the opposition, Payne's draw is indicated; 
if they have not the opposition, Tregaskis's draw is 
indicated. 

In the example given, Payne's draw is indicated 
because the imaginary piece on 4 shows that Black 
has the opposition. If it had been White's turn to 
play in the example given, the imaginary piece on 4 
would show that Black had not the opposition, and 
Tregaskis's draw would have been indicated. 

Hole: An empty square among the pieces of either 
side that is a weak spot. Also a variation leading 
to a loss. Compare "Punch holes.'' 

Hovering over the board: The hand suspended 
hesitatingly over the piece to be moved. 

Huff: The penalty incurred by not jumping when 
the opportunity to do so presents itself. The Stand- 
ard Laws give the opposing player the power to re- 
move the offending piece, or to compel the take, or 
to let the piece remain. In ordinary usage this term 
means taking the piece for nothing, thus making the 
offender angry — putting him in a huff. 

Huffing is regarded as unsportsmanlike, though 
legal, and the common practice is to notify the player 
that he must rectify his mistake and make the jump. 
The necessity for the law, however, is universally rec- 
ognized, and it is strictly fair play to take advantage 
of it. The contention of those to whom it is especially 
distasteful is that it is an emergency law, better ob- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 83 

served in the breach than in the enforcement. James 
Searight, in his notes to the games in the Fifth Scot- 
tish Tournament book, says: "If it was within the 
scope of our inventive faculty to devise a Hghter pen- 
alty than this for neglecting to take a man, and yet 
one compatible with the requirements of justice, we 
would do so." 

The huff (or ''blow," as it is sometimes called when 
the piece is removed as if blown off the board) may 
cause the loss of a game, as shown by Thomas Cowie 
in the following example: 11-15, 23-18, 8-1 1, 27-23, 
4-8, 23-19, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 22-17, 6-9, 17-13, 11-16, 
13-6, 16-23, Z'^-^7- If Black hufifs by removing the 
piece on 26, White wins, because when Black jumps 
2-9, White jumps 27-4. 

Several instances in which players have moved in 
order to be huffed have been recorded. The term 
huff as applied to checkers antedates the time of 
Payne, 1756. 

Hull Invincible: The popular nickname of George 
Jewitt, the noted English expert. 

Hutzler*s Switcher play: A line of play, by Henry 
Hutzler, of Cincinnati, referred to in Gould's Matches, 
1888, page 261, thus: "This game is remarkable not 
only as showing 23-18 to be a loser, but as completely 
destroying the draw of hundreds of variations pre- 
viously published by various experts and analysts." 

The moves leading to the issue are as follows : 1 1-15, 
21-17, 9-13, 25-21, 8-11. 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 6-10, 
22-17, 13-22, 26-17, 15-18, 29-25, 18-22, 25-18, 10-15, 
24-20, 15-22, 23-18. See also "Switcher controversy." 



84 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Identical position: One that is exactly the same, 
piece for piece, as a position credited to some other 
person, or brought about in some other way. Identi- 
cal positions are of frequent occurrence in endings, 
often with colors reversed. Henry Spayth succeeded 
in finding thirty-six ways of producing a problem by 
William Strickland. The position is as follows : 

BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND 




BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 

Solution: 10-15, 19-10, 6-15, 17-10, 9-14, (a) 13-9, 
12-16, 9-5, 16-20, 22-17, 2-6, 10-7, 15-18, 17-10, 18-27, 
7-3, 6-15, 3-7, 15-19. Drawn. 

(a) 22-17, 2-6, 26-22, 12-16, 10-7, 15-19. Drawn. 

One of the thirty-six ways of producing the position 
is as follows: 11-15, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 85 

9-14, 25-22, 11-16, 29-25, 7-1 1, 17-13, 3-7, 22-17, 11-15, 
25-22, 15-24, 27-11, 7-16, 23-19, 16-23, 26-19, 5-9, 
32-28, 4-8, 30-26, 8-11, 26-23, 11-15, 31-26, 15-24, 
28-19. The position. 

The complete set of thirty-six different games, all 
of Black's possible first moves being employed, and 
seventeen of the identical positions having colors re- 
versed, is given in Pierce's Single Corner book, Min- 
neapolis, 1904. 

Idea: The foundation principle of a problem or a 
position. Example: La Pucelle, the curious position 
by Dr. Brown, presents the idea of a king moving 
freely back and forth in the double corner, sheltered 
from all possible attack. 

Idea at the bottom of checkers : The charm of the 
game as a scientific pastime is accounted for by a 
writer of a psychological turn of mind thus : *'The 
game of draughts affords a glimpse of finality, which 
the human mind so ardently longs for." 

I. D. M. : International Draughts Magazine, by 
J. A. and Andrew Kear, Bristol, England, 1888. 

Impossible position: One that could not come 
from a game without violating the laws of play. Ex- 
ample : a black king on the board, with the white king- 
row intact. 

It is rarely safe to brand a position as impossible 
if it is possible to have a king. Tyros often produce 
positions lawfully that cause students of the board to 
marvel at their seeming impossibility. Critics occa- 
sionally invent games to show how some positions 
declared by a checker editor to be impossible may be 



86 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

legally produced. Many problems have appeared in 
print that are repulsively unnatural and childishly ab- 
surd. See also ''Choice of jumps." 

Improvement: Stronger or simpler play producing 
the same result. Early writers applied this term to 
what is now distinguished as a correction. 

Improving the board : Persons of an inquiring turn 
of mind sometimes express an interest in knowing 
what would be the effect of altering the checkerboard 
so that all four corners shall be single corners; also 
of making them all double corners. The Draught 
Board for November, 1871, refers to experiments of 
the kind by Dr. T. J. Brown thus : 

"By covering the squares i to 4 with a strip of 
paper, and placing another over the column, 4, 12, 
20, 28, we have a board on which a game of draughts 
could be played with the singular property that those 
who move first would win. Place the strip of paper 
over the squares, 5, 13, 21, 29, instead of 4, 12, 20, 
28, and we have a board with four double corners. 
This form of board gives the advantage to the second 
player, who would invariably win. As our board is 
a combination of the two, the result is clear that the 
forces are equal, and, properly played, every game 
would be a draw." 

The theoretical conclusion that every game of 
checkers should end in a draw is supported by the 
facts of experience. See also "Povv^er." 

In and out shot: An exchange in which a man 
is forced to jump into the kingrow (where he must 
stop to be crowned), and then jump out of the king- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 87 

row, so that he and one or more other pieces may be 
captured. 

Indicators : The figures, letters, or symbols attached 
to recorded play for the purpose of pointing out and 
referring to variations. The captions, ''White" and 
"Black," over and under diagrams, are also called 
indicators. 

Indirect exchange: One in which the piece moved 
is not the one to be at once captured. See ''Direct 
exchange." 

Infallible method : A pretended system of play "by 
which he that moves first shall win the game," as 
mentioned scornfully in the preface to Payne's work, 
1756. See "Lost art." 

Initiated: Those who are familiar with all the gen- 
erally well-known traps and positions. 

Inkerman : A name suggested by J. Bertie in the 
Draught Board for July, 1869, as a substitute for that 
of the Black Doctor opening. 

Innovation : An unusual move or line of play ; sim- 
ilar to "New move." 

Instructive position: An ending or problem whose 
working principle is worthy of special attention be- 
cause of its practical usefulness. Example: Petter- 
son's drawbridge. 

Interchange: A curiosity of the checkerboard, 
showing how, without transgressing the rules, all the 
pieces of each side may be moved into the twelve 
squares originally occupied by the other side. Given 
in Lyman's Problems, Dunne's Guide, and in various 
other publications. 



88 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Interchangeable openings: Those that may be 
formed by moves appearing in a different order in 
other openings. Example: Fife, 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 
22-17, 5-9 J Double Corner, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9j 23-19, 
11-15. 

Intricate simplicity: A paradoxical phrase used 
to emphasize the scientific nature of the game of 
checkers. 

Introduced : The first notable appearance of a move 
or line of play with which other players are not 
familiar. Example : Lees's Guide, commenting on this 
line of Single Corner play, 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 
8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 10-15, 25-22, 12-16, 21-17, 8-12, 
17-14, says: 

"For upward of forty years this Hne was considered 
untenable, 17-13 being the usual continuation; but in 
1889 ^^- J- Maize published play which has stood 
the test of criticism. The essential moves of the 
defense had been discovered by the veteran Martins 
previous to 1889, but he was holding it in reserve 
for use in match play." 

Invention: A move or a line of play of sufficient 
importance to be regarded as a notable discovery. 
Example: The Fife opening is regarded as Wyllie's 
invention, because he was the first to demonstrate 
its strength in an important match. See also "Stew- 
art's invention." 

Problems are sometimes spoken of as inventions, 
when they are not endings that have occurred in 
games. 

Invincible: In Anderson's first edition, 1848, the 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 89 

Second Double Corner opening is referred to as "Wyl- 
lie's invincible game." 

Iris: The opening formed by the single move, 10-15, 
according to the nomenclature suggested by John 
Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 

Irregular openings: Those that have no generally 
accepted title; also regular openings irregularly 
formed; also an unusual way of replying to a regular 
way of starting. The term "irregular" has often been 
used with marked looseness. The adoption of the 
two-move practice in forming openings renders it 
practically meaningless. 

Isolated piece : One so separated from its fellows 
that it can get no immediate support or protection 
from them. 

Italian draughts: In this game the men and kings 
move the same as in checkers, the same board and 
the same number of men being used. The funda- 
mental difference in the two games lies in the law^ 
in Italian draughts that a man is not allowed to 
capture a king. The board is placed with the double 
corner at the left (which does not alter the play, 
though somewhat confusing to checkerists) ; it is com- 
pulsory to take the largest number of pieces a man 
can capture, and a king must capture when a man 
and a king are both in position to do so. 

There are several large treatises on the game in 
Italian. Dunne's Guide, Warrington, England, 1890, 
gives an adequate description of Italian draughts, with 
numerous games and problems. Kear's Sturges, 
London, 1895, ^^so describes the game of Italian 
draughts. 



90 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Jacques's shot: The shot occurring at the close of 
the following" game played by E. R. Jacques of Mal- 
vern, Canada, and given in Lyman's Problems, 1881, 
thus: 1 1- 1 6, 24-19, 8-1 1, 28-24, 16-20, 22-17, 9-i3» 
17-14, 10-17, 21-14, IT-16, 25-21, 6-9, 23-18, 16-23, 
26-19, 4-8, 29-25, 13-17, 31-26, 9-13, 25-22, 7-1 1, 19-15, 
12-16, 15-10, 2.-y, 2y-22i (the shot), 20-27, 14-9, 7-14, 
9-6, i-io, 18-9, 5-14, 23-18, 14-23, 21-7, 3-10, 26-3. 
White wins. 

The shot occurring at the close of the following 
game between William Fleming and E. R. Jacques in 
1865, is also a Jacques's shot: 11-15, 23-18, 8-11, 27-23, 
4-8, 23-19, 10-14, 19-10, 14-23, 26-19, 7-14, 19-15, 
11-18, 22-15, 14-18, 21-17, 12-16, 24-20, 16-19, 20-16, 
2-7, 17-13,. 9-14, 31-26, 18-23, 25-22, 14-18, 29-25, 7-1 1, 
16-7, 3-10, 22-17, 5-9> 17-14 (the shot), 10-17, 15-11, 
8-15, 28-24, 19-28, 26-10, 6-15, 13-6, i-io, 25-22, 17-26, 
30-7. White wins. 

Jemima : A title for the Single Corner opening that 
was used to some extent among players in Great 
Britain before Anderson's second edition, 1852, was 
published. 

Jenny Hay: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 
4-8, 25-22, 11-16, 24-20, 8-1 1, 27-24, 9-13. So named 
in Drummond's fourth edition, 1866. 

Jenny Lind: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 



VOCABUL.ARY OF CHECKERS 



91 



25-22, 12-16, 24-20, 10-15. 21-17, 9-^3- 5o named in 
Drummond's third edition, 1861. 

Joe's game: The title used in Drummond's second 
edition. 1S51. for the Edinburgh opening. 9-13. 

Johnson's positions : These important positions are 
referred to in Whyte's Problemists* Guide, Dundee, 
Scotland. 1901, thus : 

"F. X. Johnson, of Chicago, some years ago pub- 
lished two positions which are of very frequent occur- 
rence in the course of play ; in fact, they are both very 
likely to be stumbled into." Nearly four pages of 
analysis accompany these positions, which are as 
follows : 

JOHXSOX POSITION, Xo. 1 

WHITE 



im ,.s...iio 




BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution (variations being omitted here) : 22-17, 6-2, 
15-10, 7-1 1, 17-21, 11-16, 10-15, 2-6, 21-17, 6-1, 17-22, 



92 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

1-6, 23-27, 6-1, 



1-6, 22-18, 16-20, 
27-32, 1-6, 19-24. 



15-19, 6-1, 18-23, 
Black wins. 



JOHNSON POSITION, No. 2 

WHITE 



J «©^ 

MMm. •,. 



■ ■ ■ ■ 
B B B 1^, 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution (all variations but one being omitted here) : 
19-15, 28-24, 23-19, 24-28, 15-10, 28-32, 19-24, 32-27, 
10-14, 27-23, 1 1-8, (a) 23-27, 14-18, 27-32, 24-28, 
31-26, 18-14, 20-16, 28-24, 32-28, 24-19, 16-12, 8-1 1, 
28-32, 19-24, 26-22, 24-19, 32-27, 14-9, 22-17, 9-13, 
17-14, 19-15, 27-24, 15-18, 14-10, 13-9. Black wins. 

(a) 23-26, 24-19, 26-22, 8-1 1, 22-26, 1 1- 1 5, 26-22, 
14-18, 22-26, 18-23, 26-22, 23-27. Black wins. 

Judgment : Estimating the chances of success. The 
selection of the lines of play to try, the willingness to 
abandon an ending as a draw, the temptation to yield 
to impulse, the itch to be brilliant, and the like, are 
matters of judgment and temperament. Example: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 93 

A note in a book of match games says: "Though a 
man down, he refused the offer of a draw — and lost." 
Concerning judgment a critic has said: "Tactics play 
as important a part in a checker match as skill." 

Juego de Damas: The name of the game of 
draughts as played in Spain in the time of Christopher 
Columbus. See ''Spanish draughts." 

Jump : To leap over, and thus capture, one or more 
pieces in a single turn to play. A jump is recorded 
as a move, and is so called without confusion. There 
is such a thing as over-nicety in the use of technical 
terms. 

Jump first and last: Ordinarily if the player who 
makes the first jump in an exchange also makes the 
last, he will be a piece ahead. It is often convenient 
to bear this in mind when a complicated exchange of 
pieces is under examination. It is also well to re- 
member that the one who jumps first and last may 
thereby lose a piece; for instance, jump one, lose 
three, take one. 

Juno: The opening formed by the single move, 
1014, according to the nomenclature suggested by 
John Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 



Kate Huntly: The Single Corner opening ex- 
tended as follows: 11- 15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 
29-25. 4-8, 25-22, 9-13. So named in Drummond's 
third edition, 1861. 



94 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Katy Jones: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 9-14. So 
named in Drummond's third edition, 1861. 

Kear's Encyclopaedia: Two 72-page books of play, 
by J. A. Kear, Jr., and R. Atwell, Bristol, England, 
1901. 

Kear's Reprint: The works of John Drummond, 
edited by James Lees, and reprinted by the Kears, 
Bristol, England, 1891. 

Keep the draw in sight: To know a safe reply 
to any move the opposing side may choose to make. 
Wyllie's unchallenged advice (and the practice of the 
most successful players) is to ''keep the draw in 
sight." This is not incompatible with trying to win, 
but is intended as a preventive of overreaching. 

Keeping the finger on the piece: There is an 
unwritten law among tyros that so long as the finger 
is kept on a piece the move of that piece may be 
retracted. The Standard Laws of the game nullify 
this notion thus: 

'Tf any part of a playable piece be played over the 
angle of the square on which it is stationed, the play 
must be completed in that direction" ; and, ''if the 
person whose turn it is to play touch one, he must 
either play it or forfeit the game." 

Kelso: The opening formed by the single move, 
10-15. So named by John Drummond in his second 
edition, 185 1. 

Kelso-Cross: The opening formed by 10-15, 23-18, 
the characteristic moves of the Kelso and the Cross 
openings. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 95 

Kelso-Exchange : The opening formed by 10-15, 
22-18, 15-22, 25-18, the characteristic moves of the 
Kelso and the Single Corner openings, the latter 
having been called the Exchange game in Drummond's 
second edition, 185 1. 

Kelso-Sv^itcher : The opening formed by 10-15, 
21-17, the characteristic moves of the Kelso and the 
Switcher openings. 

Kelso trap: Same as 'Tool's loss." 

Kernel: The chief idea concealed in a problem. 

Key move: The only correct move at a decisive 
point in a solution. There should be but one correct 
move at the beginning of the solution to a problem, 
but it may be comparatively obvious, and the key 
move may be farther on in the play. Example : In 
the Byars problem the winning side's second move is 
the key to a remarkable situation. 

Keystone of the bridge: See "Petterson's draw- 
bridge." 

Kilmarnock : Suggested by J. Bertie in the Draught 
Board for July, 1869, as a title for the opening, 11-15, 
24-19, instead of Second Double Corner. 

King: A crowned piece, as distinguished from a 
single piece, called a man. 

King the piece: Same as "Crown the man." 

Kingrow: The horizontal line of four squares 
nearest to each player. The term crownhead is com- 
monly preferred to kingrow in Great Britain. 

King's invention: The 28-24 move in the White 
Doctor opening, played by Wyllie and J. King, as 
given in Lees's Guide, London, 1892, thus: 11-16, 



96 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

22-18, 10-14, 25-22, 8-1 1, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 14-23, 
26-19, 4-8, 31-26, 6-10, 27-23, 2-6, 29-25, 9-13, 23-18, 
10-15, 19-10, 12-19, 26-23, 6-15, 23-16, 1-6, 30-26, 8-12, 
28-24 (the move referred to). White wins. 

Kink : A surprising twist or turn in the solution to 
a position. Example: The Byars problem has two 
kinks, one by the loser's offering a choice of jumps, 
the other by the winner's giving away the king. 

Kiss stroke: Same as "Rebound stroke." 

Knock-down Bristol: The name given in Fitzpat- 
rick's Analyst, Leavenw^orth, Kan., December, 1878, 
to the following extension of the Bristol opening: 
11-16, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 12-19, 27-23, 8-12, 23-16, 
12-19, 32-27, 4-8, 27-23, 8-12, 23-16, 12-19, 31-27, 3-8, 
27-23, 8-12, 23-16, 12-19. Drawn. 

Knock-dov^m system: The method of conducting 
a tournament by which the losing players are dropped 
into a lower class, where they again compete. 

Knock-out system: The method of conducting a 
tournament by which the losers are dropped out of 
the contest after each round. 

Know where you are: To be familiar with the 
situation. 

Knowledge: Memorized play. A Scotch critic 
has said: ''There are players who win national tour- 
neys by nothing but what they knew beforehand." 
To what extent a successful player may rely on knowl- 
edge, skill, or judgment, is always an interesting 
subject. An unidentified writer has produced the 
following formula: knowledge, 75 per cent. ; judgment, 
15 per cent.; skill, 10 per cent. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



97 



La Pucelle: The accompanying remarkable curi- 
osity by Dr. T. J. Brown, as given in the Draught 
Board for December, 1870. This is the first time the 
idea was utiHzed. The position is frequently called 
the "Virgin's fortress," as an unassailable position is 
maintained, and the term pucelle is French for virgin : 

LA PUCELLE 

WHITE 



m m mamsD 



^."M^v/m y//////. 









m m M M 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 8-12, 15-11, 22-26, 11-8, 12-16, 8-3, 16-20, 
3-7, 27-31, 7-11, 24-27, 11-15, 20-24, 10-7, 28-32, 7-3, 
32-28. Drawn. 

Lady of Lorna: A name given by John Robertson 
to the opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, 8-1 1, 17-13, 
4-8, 25-22, which is more generally known as the 
Douglas opening. 



98 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Lallement's board: A board designed by J. G. 
Lallement, a French writer on Polish draughts, and 
given at the close of that volume of his works which 
was published in 1802. By placing the playing squares 
on end, the thirty-two space squares of the standard 
board are abolished, as seen in the following diagram : 

LALLEMENT'S BOARD 




The Draught Board for September, 1871, referring 
to Lallement's device, says: 'Tt might reasonably be 
called the natural draught board. It will be seen that 
the men and squares are of equal size to our diagrams, 
and yet only half the space is required The pieces 
and playing squares are in exactly the same position 
as in our reference board ; strokes are more easily 
seen; the movement of the pieces easier understood; 
and the whole design worthy of draught players' con- 
sideration." Compare "Roundsquare board." 

Laird and Lady: The opening formed by 11- 15, 
23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 9-i3» 17-14^ 10-17, 21-14. The 
eadiest appearance of this title is in Anderson's first 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 99 

edition, 1848. In his second edition, 1852. Anderson 
states that the opening is formed by the first six 
moves, and adds: "It was so called from the fact of 
its having been the favorite of Laird and Lady Gather, 
who resided in Cambusnethan about sixty years ago. 
This one and the Whilter have been the special fa- 
vorites of the author." 

Laird and Lady refused: The opening formed by 
11-15, 23-19. 8-1 1. 22-17. 9-13, 25-22; according to 
the Draught Board for May, 1869. 

Laird Bain: One of the numerous titles proposed 
for the Old Fourteenth opening. 

Lanark: One of the various titles proposed for 
the Old Fourteenth opening. 

Landing: A midgame position that is recognized 
as a familiar stage, affording a sense of security. 
A landing is commonly found at the conclusion of a 
series of moves the order of which may be transposed 
in several ways. 

Language of the board: The numbers by which 
the squares are known, for the purpose of recording 
or describing moves or situations. 

Large family: L'sually four or five single pieces 
in an exposed group in the middle of the board, soon 
to be attacked by a king in the rear. 

Lassie o' Bristol : The name given in the Draughts 
World for December 17, 1892, to a game beginning 
thus: 11-15, 24-20, 15-19; which produces the same 
formation as the Bristol opening, 11-16, 24-20, 16-19. 

Last Battle: The last match between Wyllie and 
Martins, played in Glasgow and Manchester in 1898. 



100 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

The games of the contest, edited by James Lees, were 
pubhshed in book form, under this title, in Glasgow, 
1899. 

Laws of the game: See ''Standard Laws." 

Leading up: The course taken to bring about a 
desired situation. Example : Manipulating the pieces 
in such a way that an exchange may be effected. 

Leap: Same as "Jump." 

Learner: One who is acquiring a knowledge of 
the lines preferred by advanced players ; also one who 
has not yet mastered the rudimentary principles of 
the game. 

Learner's objection: Fault found with the books 
on the game because they do not carry the play out 
to the ''bitter end." Also the reflection on the ability 
of the authors shown in the following appeal: "What 
we want is a book that will show us how to win." 

Learning the numbers: It is not an easy task 
to learn to instantly tell the numbers of the squares. 
Confusion is caused by the learner's fixing the numbers 
in his mind as beginning at the bottom of the board, 
and then trying to learn them all over again when 
they begin at the top. An aid may be found in in- 
variably directing the attention first to squares 15 and 
18, which are the nucleus of the board. In this way 
the eye confusion disappears after awhile, and the 
mind becomes indifferent to the way the numbers are 
running; that is, whether the black pieces are going 
up or down the board. As the side squares are par- 
ticularly apt to get mixed up, it is worth while, as 
suggested by W. T. Call, to memorize them thus: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 101 

Even, 4, 12, 20, 28, mine. 

Odd, 5, 13, 21, 29, thine. 

Leave the books: To make a move not given at 
that point in pubHshed book play; practically a "new 
move." 

Leeds: The opening formed by 11-16, 22-17, ac- 
cording to the nomenclature of Dunne's Guide, War- 
rington, England, 1890. 

Letter problems: See ''Design problems." 

Leven: Suggested by J. Bertie in the Draught 
Board for July, 1869, as a title for the opening, 11-15, 
24-19, instead of Second Double Corner. 

Line: All the variations of a distinct branch of 
play regarded as a unit. The term ''line" is often 
inaccurately used in the sense of "reply." When care- 
fully employed it means a course of play producing 
combinations essentially different from those of other 
ways of proceeding. Example: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 
25-18, 12-16, 29-25, 9-13, starts the Flora Temple Hne 
of the Single Corner opening, sometimes called the 
Flora Temple opening. As the 12-16 and 9-13 moves 
are interchangeable, and the latter does not neces- 
sarily follow the other, it is not clear what a player 
has in mind when he speaks of the 12-16 or the 9-13 
line of the Single Corner game. 

The word "line" is, however, an exceedingly flexible 
term, and it is better to use it loosely than with the 
over-precision of a pedagogue. 

Line up: To succeed in arranging the pieces in a 
line, for the purpose of effecting an exchange. 

Little Giant of the West : A popular nickname for 



102 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

James P. Reed, whose fame as a checker expert 
radiated from Chicago and Pittsburg. 

Livermore's board: A new design for checker- 
boards advocated by S. T. Livermore in his treatise 
called Checkers Improved, Hartford, 1888. Large 
dots or spots, as Livermore called them, connected by 
diagonal lines, are employed in place of squares, as 
seen in the following diagram: 

LIVERMORE'S BOARD 




Livermore's nomenclature: In his little treatise, 
Hartford, Conn., 1888, S. T. Livermore gives sixty- 
two names to variations of standard openings, as a 
compliment, a mark of honor, or a fanciful notion. 
These titles, or mottoes, have not been adopted by 
others, and are not otherwise referred to in these 
pages than by saying that here are a few specimens : 
Miss Logan, ^Mrs. Scott, Tennyson, Keats, Auld Lang 
Syne, Grant, Farragut, Her Bright Eyes Haunt ^le 
Still, Hail to the Chief, Hogan and Donovan. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 103 

Liverpool: The Recreationist for Xovember, 1873, 
says: "The Liverpool is the title of an opening which 
originated with Dr. S. A. Lucas, who played it against 
Mr. Wyllie about a year ago, and lost it." In that 
number and the two preceding numbers is an analysis 
of the opening by F. Dunne, beginning thus: 9-13. 
22-18, 11-15. According to Dunne's Guide, 1890, the 
opening is formed by 11-16, 24-20, 9-13, 20-11, 8-15. 

Lola Montez: The Single Corner opening ex- 
tended as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 
29-25, 4-8, 24-20, 10-15. So named in Drummond's 
third edition, 1861. 

London: The opening formed by 11-16, 22-18; 
according to the nomenclature in Dunne's Guide, 1890. 

Long diagonal: The eight squares extending in a 
line from single corner to single corner. The double 
diagonal, extending from double corner to double cor- 
ner, has seven squares on each side of the line. 

Long game : The longest time consumed in playing 
a single game in a match for a title is seven and 
one half hours, used by Wyllie and ^Martins on a Maid 
of the ^lill game in their 1867 match for the world's 
championship. A game by correspondence lasting 
sixteen years, 1870- 1886. was played by W. Lea, 
Bristol, England, with T. Lea, Sydney, Australia. An 
extraordinarily long game for a trunk, in point of 
the number of moves given, is that of the Glasgow- 
Whilter opening in Lees's Guide, in which 178 moves 
are employed. 

Long move: In analyzing, instead of proceeding 
step by step, as in playing, it is sometimes convenient 



104 \'OCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

to transfer the pieces at once to the points they are 
bound for by means of long moves. 

Longest continuous capturing play: In a game 
between C. Hefter and a visitor, published in the 
American Checker Review, Chicago, September 5, 
1888, Hefter won by a stroke in which fifteen pieces 
were removed. This is regarded as the longest con- 
tinuous capturing play occurring in a published game. 

In Stearns's Book of Portraits, Derry, X. H., 1894, 
Vol. I, page 129, a position, invented by J. !Maize, 
using twenty-six pieces, is given, showing the removal 
of twenty-four pieces in one continuous capturing play. 

Looking at a position : Drummond says : "In gen- 
eral it is best to practice the games with the winning 
side next to you.'' Players in the first rank of the 
expert class, as well as those of himibler degree, often 
show a preference for viewing a position by passing 
to the other side of the table, or by turning the board. 
A few, particularly those accustomed to bUndfold 
playing, are indifferent as to their point of view. A 
position is a unit that should be as readily recognized 
and examined from one direction as another, whatever 
its terms may be. 

Loosen up: To relieve a cramped or congested 
situation, especially by exchanging or sacrificing. 

Loser: A defeated player; also a losing move. 

Losing game: The regular game reversed, the 
winner being the one who succeeds in getting rid of 
all his pieces that can be moved. A little treatise by 
T. Dale, Leeds, England, 1866, called the Shefiield 
Draught Player, is the only work on the game. Dale 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 105 

gives what he calls a mathematical rule for playing 
the Losing game. Four of the rows of squares are 
called good for Black, namely squares i to 4, 9 to 12, 
17 to 20. 25 to 2S: that is, each alternate row. The 
other four alternate rows are good for White. He 
says that nineteen times out of twenty a player loses 
the game by being out of the squares that are good 
for him. When you are out, you must cut or exchange 
to be safe. You are to open your game freely by 
your first four or five moves, to single them out . 

The Losing game is often called "Give away," also 
"First off." The motto of the Losing game is: "He 
who loses wins." Dunne's Guide, 1890, gives a chap- 
ter to the Losing game, including games, problems, 
and remarkable positions. Sturges. 1800, mentions the 
game in his Guide thus: "P. S. In playing the Losing 
game, your adversary can oblige you to take the 
greatest number of men he has to give." 

Losing move: One that starts a course of play 
known to end in a loss. Example: the 27-24 move in 
the ''Goose walk." 

Losing time: flaking moves that have no bearing 
on a present difficulty or advantage. The loss of time 
by one side is equivalent to a gain of time by the other. 
The essence of the game of checkers is time — not 
duration, but timeliness, as expressed in the quizzical 
injunction: "Put the right pieces on the right spots 
at the right time." 

Loss: A line of play that would not lead to a 
win or a draw, if properly combatted, is called a loss. 
The move that starts it is called a loser. 



106 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Lost art: A term used in connection with a not 
wholly extinct tradition that once upon a time there 
was a man who knew how to win every game in which 
he had the first move. This subject has a hazy connec- 
tion with another matter of mystery to the uninitiated 
known as the "great secret,"" otherwise known as ''the 
move." 

Luckley's draught board : J. L. Luckley, in a com- 
munication to the English Draught Player, Bristol, 
England, January, 1878. says : 

"I have found a modification of the common board 
useful in studying the peculiar qualities of what is 
known as the move. It consists in making the squares 
on which the pieces move of two different colors, so 
nearly alike that the board will retain almost its usual 
appearance. I make the dark squares in columns 
I, 2, 3, 4, a dark blue, those in columns 5, 6, 7, 8, black. 
The board when thus colored has the appearance of 
a double board, and any piece on any square, being 
to play, has the move on any one of his opponent's 
pieces on a diflferent colored square ; and the place 
of any piece is more easily remembered than on the 
common board."" 

Lucy Long: The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15.. 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 12-16, 18-14. 
So named in Drummond"s third edition, 1861. 

Ludus Latrunculorum : The Latin name of a game 
played on a checkered board by the Romans. Cicero 
is said to have been fond of it. This game is supposed 
to have resembled Turkish draughts rather than check- 
ers. Inferences concerning its nature are based on 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 107 

fragmentary information, belonging to the domain of 
archaeology. 

Lunette: The French term, la lunette, has the same 
meaning as the English term, breeches ; and like its 
English equivalent, "spectacles," is not used in modern 
works on the game of checkers. 

L. W. D. P. : Leeds Weekly Draught Player, a mag- 
azine by W. and F. Bownas, Leeds, England, 1882. 

Lyman stroke: The name given to the class of 
strokes shown at the close of the following game, by 
H. D. Lyman: 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 11-16, 24-20, 
16-23, 27-11, 7-16, 201 1, 3-7, 28-24, 7-16, 24-20, 16-19, 
25-22, 10-15, 17-13, 4-8, 21-17, 2-7, 29-25, 7-10, 26-23, 
19-26, 30-23, 8-1 1, 23-18, 12-16, 32-28, 16-19, 20-16, 
11-20, 18-11, 19-23, 1 1-8, 23-26, 25-21, 26-30, 8-3, 
30-26, 31-27, 10-14 (the stroke), 17-10, 26-17, 21-14, 
6-15, 13-6, 1-17. Black wins. 



M 



Magic squares: A term of affection as applied to 
the checkerboard, on account of its fascinating at- 
tributes. That a game so rigidly confined to pure 
cause and effect should be so fondly cherished never 
ceases to mystify the uninitiated. 

Magpie Papers: A number of detached articles at 
once humorous and instructive, by James Hill, col- 
lected and published in book form, under the title of 
"Brief History of the Magpie Draughts Club," Lon- 
don, 1892. 



108 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Maid of the Mill: The opening formed by 11-15, 
22-17, 8-1 1, 17-13, 15-18. First given in Anderson's 
first edition, 1848. In his second edition, 1852, Ander- 
son says : "It was so named by a gentleman, a relative 
of a miller in Lanarkshire, because the miller's daugh- 
ter, who was an excellent player, was partial to this 
opening." 

Major Polish: See "PoHsh draughts.'' 

Mallet's challenge: The following ingenuous an- 
nouncement made by Pierre ^Mallet in his work on 
draughts, published in France in 1668, the translation 
being that given in Dunne's Guide, 1890: 

''Messieurs, — If it can be permitted to one like me, 
an honest Picardian, with some sort of civility and 
good feeling, and without being accused of sounding 
too loud my trumpet, to present a challenge to a dozen 
or more of those gentlemen whose swords flash from 
their scabbards at the name of draughts: Whether 
they be good Christians or barbarians, I will meet 
them fearlessly and with a stout heart, and the greater 
the number the more willingly will I undertake the 
encounter. For, though it may be true in the game 
of draughts, as in divers other things, they say that I 
am much more fit for counsel than execution, never- 
theless I will combat them singly, or in combined 
array, at the hazard of a dozen pistoles (about £5) 
to play according to the standard rules. I chafe at 
the delay they make in presenting themselves, and 
await their coming with impatience, but with con- 
fidence. — Pierre Mallet, Mathematician to the 
King." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 109 

Man down : Ha\*ing one less piece in play than the 
opposing side has ; a man behind. 

Man off: To exchange for the purpose of reducing 
the forces. 

Man stronger than a king: Owing to the fact that 
a single piece cannot jump backward, a man may 
sometimes be stronger than a king. For an illustra- 
tion of this occurrence, see "Companion problems.*' 

Man up: Having one more piece in play than the 
opposing side has; a man ahead. 

Manchester: The opening formed by 11-16, 23-18. 
according to the nomenclature in Dunne's Guide, 1890. 

Manning: Exchanging piece for piece. 

Manufactiired stroke: One that did not occur, and 
would not be likely to occur, in a game. When strokes 
of this class are absurd situations, they are called mon- 
strosities. 

Manufacturing difiBculties : Making complications 
for oneself. Some of the present day analysts, per- 
haps with a yearning for an opportunity to show 
originality, have fallen into the habit of making, varia- 
tions that show a more difficult way to draw than the 
accepted line. Play of this kind is not worthy of 
serious record unless it has the virtue of developing 
good winning chances. 

Manuscript: A private collection of play from all 
available sources. J. D. Jan\-ier, a very industrious 
critic, said in the early seventies of the last century: 
"My manuscript enables me to compare any game in 
ten minutes with all that has been printed." 



110 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Manuscript book: A book of blank diagrams for 
recording games and positions. 

Marengo: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
9-13. This title for the Will o' the Wisp opening is 
explained in Leggett and Gardner's Will o' the Wisp 
book, Aberdeen, Scotland, 1885, thus: ''Mr. John 
McLean, of Xew York, contributed play on the open- 
ing to the Xew York Clipper, February, 1858, and 
called it Marengo." 

Martins's rest: The Glasgow opening extended as 
follows: 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 11-16. 24-20, 16-23, 
27-11, 7-16, 20-11, -^-y, 28-24, 7-16, 24-20, 16-19, 25-22, 
4-8, 29-25, 9-14, 22-18. Drawn. Game i in the Last 
Battle, Wyllie and Martins, 1899, annotated by James 
Lees, contains a brief historical account of this familiar 
game. 

Martins's Whilter shot : The shot occurring at the 
close of the following play: 11-15, 23-19, 7-1 1, 22-17, 
9-14, 25-22, 11-16, 26-23, 5-9, 17-13. 3-7, 29-25, 1-5, 
31-26, 8-1 1, 22-17, 16-20, 19-16, 12-19, 23-16, 14-18, 
26-23, 18-22, 25-18, 15-22, 23-18, 22-25, 17-14, 10-17, 
21-14, 11-15, 18-11, 9-18. 30-21, 18-22. 21-17, 22-26, 
24-19, 26-30, 28-24, 30-26, 2'j-2Ty (the shot), 20-27, 
16-12, 7-16, 12-8, 4-1 1, 19-12, 26-19, 32-7, 2-11, 17-14. 
White wins. 

Mason's marvelous board: A checkerboard table, 
20 inches square, composed of 28,070 separate pieces 
of various kinds of wood, whittled out by Charles 
]Mason, a Swede. The American Checker Review for 
May, 1893, describes this board. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 1 1 1 

Match: A contest between two parties, whether 
they are individuals, as in most instances, or groups of 
individuals, as in team matches. In a match there 
are but two sides, no matter how many participants; 
while in a tournament there are as many sides as there 
are players. See also *'Set match," ''Subscription 
match," "Exhibition match." 

The first description of a checker match is given in 
Pohlman's treatise, London, 1823, quoting from the 
Sporting Magazine as follows : 

''On Monday, June 2, 1794, a match at draughts 
was played at the Stone House, in Old Street, between 
the noted Jew, Israel Cohen, and the famous Mr. 
Beaumont. They played 20 games for one guinea a 
game, 19 of which were drawn, and the 20th was won 
by Cohen, who is universally allowed to be the best 
draught player in the kingdom ; iioo to iio was betted 
in Cohen's favor, and in the course of play gold to 
silver was repeatedly offered. Among the first rate 
players present were Mr. Latham, Mr. Martin, Mr. 
George Cross, the St. James's butcher, Mr. Hughes, 
and a number of genteel amateurs. Mr. Hughes after- 
wards played with three different gentlemen, and beat 
his competitors with ease." 

Pohlman states that "Sturges ultimately equalled 
his master, Israel Cohen, a player of the greatest 
renown." 

Match player: One who plays matches in public; 
if for a stake, a professional match player. 

Mcintosh position: A review of the history of 
this celebrated problem is given in Gould's Problems, 



112 



vcx:abular^' of checkers 



London. 1884, page 305. The setting as given in 
Dunne's Guide, 1890, is as follows: 

THE McIXTOSH POSITION 




BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution (the variations being omitted here) : 6-9, 
26-23, 9-13, 23-19. 13-9. 19-15. 9-6, 15-11, 6-2, 11-16, 
2-6, 16-20, 6-1. 20-24. 1-6. 24-27, 6-9, 27-31. 9-13, 
31-26, 13-9. 18-22. 9-13. Drawn. 

McKelvie's trap: The Bristol-Cross opening ex- 
tended by D. G. McKelvie as follows: 11-16. 23-18, 
10-14. 18-15. 16-19, 24-20, 7-10. 22-17, 9-13. 25-22, 
2-y, 28-24, 19-28, 30-25. WTiite \%-ins. 

Memorized play: When a player has become so 
familiar with a series of moves that he does not have 
to exercise his calculating faculty, he is said to have 
memorized the play. 

Memory match: A term of reproach occasionally 



\'OCABLLAR^' OF CHECKERS 



113 



applied to a contest presenting little that cannot be 
found in well-known published play. 

Men: The single pieces, as distinguished from the 
kings. 

Merry*s move: The 9-13 move, first given by M. 
G. Merry, of Providence, in the Double Comer open- 
ing extended as follows: 9-14, 22-18, 5-9. 24-19, 11-16, 
26-22, 8-1 1, 22-17, 16-20, 2^-22, 9-13 (the move re- 
ferred to). 

Minor boards: In Schaefer's Checkerist, Xew 
York, September, 190 1, the entire outside line of 
squares of the regular board was removed by W. T. 
Call, leaving the following situation : 

MINOR GAME 

WHITE 



BLACK 



A complete analysis of this game was made by 
Ben Coons, and it was found to contain more than 
a hundred variations. The outside line of squares of 
this board was then removed, lea\'ing the following 
situation, which presents the elementary- principles of 
the game of checkers in miniature form: 



114 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

MINIATURE GAME 



^o^o 



mm 






BLACK 

It was thought that by dissecting the board in this 
way some mathematical process might be employed 
to arrive at the total number of variations in the 
regular game of checkers, but no factor of progression 
that was convincing could be found. 

It is apparent that Dr. Brown had attempted to use 
a somewhat similar method, for in the Draught Board 
for November, 187 1, a diagram of what is here called 
the miniature game is presented in connection with 
his name, and the remark is made that '*by tracing 
the good and bad moves on a minor board we may 
eventually attain a similar object on the major board." 

Middle game: Same as "Midgame." 

Midgame: All the intermediate play between the 
opening and the ending, especially at the point where 
the building up process ends. Sometimes called the 
middle game, or the body game, or the body of the 
game. 

Millbury: The opening formed by 11-16, 22-18; as 
named by E. A. Durgin in 1897, in compliment to 
R. E. Bowen, who lived in Millbury, Mass. 

Mindozie: The opening formed by 11-16, 22-18, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 1 1 5 

8-1 1, 25-22, 4-8, 24-20, 16-19; as given in Drummond's 
second edition, 185 1. 

Minor Polish: See "Polish draughts." 

Miss the draw: To fail to make a particular move 
at a certain point where the line of play to draw 
must start. 

Mixed: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
22-17, 9"i3» I7-I4» 10-17? 21-14. This title for the 
Laird and Lady opening was first given in the report 
of the Anderson-Wyllie match of 1847. Drummond 
is the accredited originator of the title, and gives it 
in his second edition, 185 1. 

Modern school: This term is progressive, and 
means at this time those who play by the two-move 
restriction agreement governing openings. In the 
fourth quarter of the last century it referred to those 
who used new play in preference to threadbare lines. 

Monarch: A king. 

Montrose: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 
15-19; as given by J. Bertie in the Draught Board for 
July, 1869. It is there stated that 15-19 is the "Mont- 
rose move." 

Motto: A quotation or a fanciful inscription at- 
tached to a game or a problem. Example : "Hail to 
the Chief." See "Livermore's titles." 

Move: i. The transfer of a piece to the next square 
diagonally. 2. The transfer of a piece by jumping. 
3. The turn to play, as in the question, "Whose move 
is it?" 4. An innovation in play credited to its ex- 
pounder, as Busby's move in the Alma game. 5. The 
opposition, called "the move," which is the balance 



116 \"OCABLL.ARY OF CHECKERS 

of power held by the player who would have the last 
move if all the pieces were played to a standstill. 

One piece has the move on another when it would 
capture that piece if they had the whole board to 
themselves, and could be forced to meet. The prin- 
ciple is the same with t\vo or more pieces on a side. 
Several different ways of finding out who has the 
move have been given in treatises on the game since 
Sturges in the year 1800 gave instructions for the 
purpose. The common way of determining who has 
the move is to count all the pieces (whether man or 
king, black or white) in the four columns of squares 
starting from either kingrow. If the total is an odd 
number, the first one to play has the move on his 
opponent. If it is an even number, the second player 
has the move. 

For a simplified method of treating this subject in 
detail, see "Opposition," w^hich has the same signifi- 
cance as "the move." 

Moving backward: Pushing a single piece toward 
the side from which it has advanced. This term finds 
use sometimes in silencing the hurried suggestions of 
onlookers when a problem or a position is under dis- 
cussion. 

N 

N. A. C. A. : Xorth American Checker Association. 

N. A. C. B.: Xorth American Checker Board, a 
magazine, by L. M. Steams, Derr}- Depot, X. H.. 1896. 

Nailor: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
26-23. So named in the second volume of Drum- 
mond's fourth edition, 1866. 



VCX:.ABUL.ARY OF CHECKERS 



117 



Napping: Failing to make the proper reply to a 
move through a lack of familiarity' with play generally 
known to the class of players in which the participants 
belong. 

Narrow draw: Extreme nicety of play to avoid 
a defeat- 
Natural move: The move that seems to be in- 
dicated by the nature of the situation. Elxample : The 
27-24 move in the Goose walk is a notoriously natural 
move. 

Natural notation: See "Notation-'* 
Natural player : One who depends on his individual 
experience and power of penetration, and does not 
consult the books. This term is also applied to players 
of a much higher grade whose book knowledge is 
supplemented by what appears to be a natural aptitude 
for the game. In this s«ise. Yates was a natural 
player. 

N. C F. T. : Liners u^ed over the columns of play 
in Pa>-ne's work, 1756, and in reprints of Hoyle's 
Games . : 1 : . ' " : u' : : r ? r-jinber. Color. From, To : thus : 



1 


GAME 




-V, - 


,- — 


— 


I 


B 


II, 


15 ! 


2 


W 


22, 


18 


3 


B 


i> 


22 


4 


W 


25. 


18 i 



118 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

N. C. J.: National Checker Journal, a magazine 
by Parrow and Wilder, Boston, 1878. 

N. E. C. A.: New England Checker Association. 

N. E. C. P. : Xew England Checker Player, a mag- 
azine by Edwin F. Richardson and A. R. Bowdish, 
Webster, ]^Iass., 1876. 

Needle: A line of play springing from the opening, 
11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, according to William 
Hay's Draught Player, Edinburgh, 1862. The play 
of the Xeedle down to and including the branching 
point is as follows: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, 
17-13, 2-6, 25-22, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 22-17, 14-18, 24-20. 
Compare '"Shuttle." See also "Pioneer." 

New Bristol: The title given to the opening, 11-16, 
23-18, 8-1 1, by Mathew Atkinson, whose analysis 
began in the International Draughts ^lagazine in June, 
1888, and was published under that title in book form 
in 1889. 

New move: A move, usually a midgame move, 
whose result has not been given in previous published 
play, or tried out in an important contest. As the 
natural result of the increasing volume of recorded 
play, new moves worthy of note are no longer plen- 
tiful. 

New play : The lines and variations springing from 
a new move. 

New Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Six- 
teenth: The titles given in the World's Checker 
Book, W. R. and C. F. Barker, Boston, 1879, to the 
four openings formed respectively by the single moves, 
9-13, 10-14, 10-15, and 12-16. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 119 

New wrinkle: A trap or line of play not generally 
known. 

New York: The opening- formed by 11-15. 23-19, 
8-1 1, 26-23, as given in the New England Checker 
Player for June, 1876. Ten years before, in 1866, 
the opening was called the Xailor, by Dnimmond- 

Newcastle: The opening formed by 11-16, 21-17, 
according to the nomenclature in Dunne's Guide, 1890. 
The title Bristol-Switcher is frequently given to this 
opening. 

No man to crown with: When a player reaches 
the opposite kingrow before he has lost a man, his 
opponent has no piece at hand for a crown. This 
happened twice in the International match between 
England and Scotland in 1884. Under game No. 7, 
\V. Campbell vs. A. Jackson, WTiilter opening, 11-15, 
23-19, 7-1 1. 26-22r 9-14- 22-17, 11-16, 25-22, 16-20, 
30-26, 2-j, 23-18, 14-30, 19-16, the following note is 
given: 

"At this stage a slight difficulty arose through Mr. 
Campbell's objecting to his opponent's making a move 
until the piece on square 30 was crowned. Mr. Jack- 
son was quite willing, of course, to do so : but Mr. 
Campbell would not allow him to get a man from 
another board, and maintained that under these cir- 
cumstances he should be awarded the game. However, 
on the matter being referred to the tmipire, the ob- 
jection was at once overruled." 

In game 151. between Campbell and Woolhouse, the 
same play and ruling occurred again. 

Nomenclature: The titles by which openings and 



120 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

g^mes are distinguished. Names were applied to 
games in a printed book for the first time in Ander- 
son's first edition, 1848, in which ten titles, appearing 
as footnotes, are given. Six of these ten titles have 
survived, namely: Maid of the Mill, Dyke. Whulter 
[Whilter], Laird and Lady, Ayrshire Lassie, Defiance. 
The credit for having popularized the practice among 
players of designating openings by names has been 
given by common consent to John Drummond, who 
assisted Anderson in two matches with Wyllie, and 
is said to have brought the innovation into general 
acceptance in the Anderson-Wyllie match of 1847. 
In the reports of that match the Fife was called the 
Fifer; the Second Double Comer, the Herd's; the 
Laird and Lady, the Mixed ; the Double Corner, the 
Brothet; the Cross, the Laird. 

In his second edition, 1852, Anderson defined and 
gave the origin of the following openings : Old Four- 
teenth, Ayrshire Lassie, Fife, Defiance, Glasgow, Bris- 
tol. Laird and Lady. Suter [Souter], ^laid of the 
^lill. Will o* the Wisp, Cross, Dyke, Single Corner, 
Whilter. Second Double Corner. Many names have 
been given to openings by Anderson's successors. All 
the names of openings that have any historical interest 
will be found in their respective alphabetical places in 
these pages. 

Nomination : The selection made by players when 
the openings are to be named beforehand. Example : 
In the Third Scottish Draughts Championship tour- 
nament, 1895, Stewart named the Switcher for their 
first two games in his sitting with Buchanan, and 



\'ocabuij\ry of checkers 



121 



Buchanan named the Denny for their second two 
games, each taking the black pieces in turn in each 
opening. 

Notatioii: The method of designating the squares 
of the board by means of figures, letters, or a oom- 
bination of both. Numbering the squares from i 
to 32 has been the uniTersal method for more than 
two hundred years. Canalejas, the old Spanish author, 
gires a diagram of the board so numbered in his 
treatise printed in 1650. In 1668, however, the French 
writer, Pierre Mallet, numbers half the board from 
I to 16, and the other half also from i to 16, in the 
same way. Following are some of tiie methods of 
notation that have been tentatively proposed: 



SYMMETRICAL SYSTEM 









V.H 


Z~- 










P 




1 




a 




y 


V," 




i 




t 




h 






s 









m 




e 


b 




u 




c 




k 






K 




C 




U 




B 


E 




M 









S 




Y 


H 


A 


T 


L 


I 


P 


W 



The *'S>Tnmetrical System*' was given by Barker 
Woolhouse in the Draught Board for August, 1869. 
It was reproduced in the Recreationist for Fd)ruary, 



122 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



1873. '^^■^th small letters instead of capitals, as Wool- 
house had pointed out that they are not necessary 
except in case two pieces of the same color are on 
corresponding squares ; a black man on y, for instance, 
at the same time that a black king is on the other y, 
the move called for being yh. 

In Terry's Gieckerist, Tavares, Fla.. for May 14, 
1887, the following method was proposed: "Let the 
squares from i to 6 be numbered as now, and from 
7 to 2^2 inclusive designated by letters of the alphabet.*' 

An easy way of indicating the location of a piece 
at any time is shown in the following diagram: 

NATURAL SYSTE:.! 

WHITE 



:28 ;48 68 S 
7 37 57 11 
^26^^;46 66, .86 

^' 24. :44. .64, 84' 

^ 00, 00 .t ^ ;„ ,, 

22^ 42 62' ^82 

II 31. ^51 71 \ 



BLACK 

The ''Natural System'' was given by John Pater- 
son in his exposition of the theory of the move in 
Anderson's second edition. 1852. The first figure of 
each number indicates the column and the second 
figure the row in which the square is situated. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 123 

Nonsuch : Same as the Black Doctor opening. Swan 
and Adamson, in the Glasgow Weekly Herald of 1878 
and 1879, gave an analysis of this opening under the 
title, ''Nonsuch or Doctor." 

Novice: i. An advanced beginner who has not had 
much experience in the game as a scientific diversion, 
no matter how long he may have indulged in it as 
an amusing pastime. 2. The opening formed by 9-14, 
22-18, according to Scattergood's work, Philadelphia, 

1859. 

Numbering variations : Designating them by means 
of numbers. See ''Andersonized play." 

Numbers: Those given to the 32 playing squares 
of the checkerboard, in order that moves may be 
recorded. See ''Notation." 

Nursed : Pieces carefully worked along together for 
any purpose. 

N. Y. C. M. : New York Checker Monthly, a mag- 
azine by Dr. A. Schaefer, New York, 188 1. 



Object: As every tenable opening in the game of 
checkers must result in a draw if correctly played by 
both sides, the primary object of the game itself is 
the draw. The purpose which gives zest to a contest, 
however, is to win by capturing, cornering, or blocking 
all the opposing pieces, explained in the general state- 
ment, "He who is first unable to play is defeated." 

Odd game: The name given to the White Dyke 



124 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

opening, 11-15. 22-17. 8-11. 17-14. in Drummond's 
second edition, 185 1. 

Odds: See "Handicap." 

Old authors : All whose works appeared previous 
to the year i860, when the American Draught Player 
was issued. 

Old Farmer: Same as "Goose walk." 

Old Forty-First: The following line of the Old 
Fourteenth opening: 11-15. 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 4-8, 
25-22, 9-13: as given in Drummond's fourth edition, 
1866. The forty-first game in the works of Payne, 
1756, and Sturges. 1880. gives these moves in the 
following order: 11-15. 22-17. 8-1 1, 23-19, 4-8, 25-22, 
9-13. Compare "Old Thirty-Xinth." also "Old Four- 
teenth." 

Old Fourteenth: The opening formed by 11-15, 
23-19, 8-1 1. 22-17. 4-8- Given in Anderson's second 
edition. 1852, with the authoritative announcement : 
"The Old Fourteenth is formed by the first five moves, 
counting the play of both sides." The fourteenth 
game in the works of Payne. 1756, and Sturges, 1800, 
gives the first six moves as follows: 11-15. 22-17, 8-11, 
17-13. 4-8. 23-19. Compare "Old Thirty-Xinth,*' also 
"Old Forty-First." 

Old French game: See "Ancient game." 

Old man of many books: A playful appellation 
given by some of his contemporaries to John Drum- 
mond in his later years. 

Old Paraffin: The opening formed by 11-15. 24-20, 
8-1 1, 27-24; as named in the Draughts World for 
February, 1893, ^^ which time William Campbell was 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 125 

editor of that publication. An editorial note explains 
the propriety of the title thus: ''We have fixed on 
this title because it was the opening we saw most 
generally practiced about twenty years ago among the 
employes of a chemical w^orks near Lanark." 

Old Reliable: A name sometimes applied to the 
Old Fourteenth opening. 

Old Spanish play: That which may be found in 
the works of Spanish authors of the 17th century, 
notably Canalejas, 1650, and Garcez, 1684. ^Sxample : 
The Goose w^alk, long supposed to be given in print 
for the first time by Payne, 1756, was found to be 
old Spanish play. 

Old Thirty-Ninth: The following line of the Old 
Fourteenth opening: 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 4-8, 
25-22, 15-18; as given in Drummond's fourth edition, 
1866. The thirty-ninth game in the works of Payne, 
1756, and Sturges, 1800, gives these moves in the fol- 
lowing order: 11-15, 22-17, 8-1 i, 23-19, 4-8, 25-22, 
15-18. Compare ''Old Forty-First," also "Old Four- 
teenth." 

Onlooker: One of the audience. 

Open game : Not crowded or cramped ; one in 
which there seems to be plenty of room for a player 
to develop his pieces freely. 

Open the crownhead: Same as "Break the king- 
row." 

Opening: The move or series of moves regarded 
as giving a game a characteristic start. The various 
names applied to openings are given in their alpha- 
betical places in this book. 



126 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Opposition : This term is preferred by some writers 
to "the move," which conveys the same idea, but is 
less easily comprehended. Two pieces are in oppo- 
sition when they could be made to meet if moved 
along horizontal or vertical lines, instead of along 
diagonal lines. It is seldom worth while to pay any 
attention to the question of who has the opposition in 
his favor until the pieces are reduced to four or five 
on a side. 

To find out who has the opposition at any time, 
W. T. Call prefers to eliminate all the pairs of pieces 
that are in opposition. If there is a remainder, it will 
be two pieces that cannot be paired, and the first one 
to play has the move on his opponent. If there is 
no remainder, the second player has the move. Exam- 
ples : in Second position, two pieces remain after elim- 
inating the pairs, and Black has the opposition; at 
the start of a game all the pieces may be eliminated, 
and White has the opposition. The pieces may be 
eliminated in the most convenient way, regardless of 
whether they are black, or white, or kings, or men. 
In Second position, for instance, the discarded pairs 
may be i and 3, 6 and 8; or i and 12, 6 and 13; or 
12 and 3, 8 and 6. In the game at the start there are 
two opposition pairs in each row, and all the pieces 
on the board are eliminated at a glance. 

The practice of casting out groups of pairs shortens 
the operation in most cases to a brief survey of the 
board. This is probably the method employed by 
Anderson, for in his first edition, 1848, he says: "It 
has never been the author's practice to employ any 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



127 



rule for finding the move ; he merely glances from one 
side to the other, comparing the position of the men 
and finds it easy to ascertain the move." 

The term opposition presupposes that one player 
has the same number of pieces as the other player. 
W. T. Call's method of calculating the move and its 
changes is given in the following paragraphs : 

The opposition is shifted by an exchange, except 
under the following conditions: When all the jumping 
pieces are in opposition, and all the pieces taking part 
in the exchange are paired off; or when all the jump- 
ing pieces are not in opposition, and all the pieces 
taking part in the exchange are }wt paired off. Ex- 
amples ; see following diagrams : 



WHITE 



No. 1 






O^ 



m. w. « w. 



m m €A m. 



BLACK 

Black to play — White has the opposition. 



Play 15-6, 17-26, and the opposition is shifted from 
white to black by the exchange, because the jumping 



128 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

pieces are )iot in opposition, but the four pieces as 
a group are. 

WHITE 

No. 2 



fl ■ ■ ■ I 



jVpVp 



y/r. 



BLACK 

Black to play — White has the opposition. 

Play 19-10, 17-26, and the opposition is not shifted, 
because the jumping pieces are in opposition, and the 
four pieces as a group are. 



WHITE 



No. 3 



i ■ « «; 



"m^Y—^m^y. ^^qp 



W//J va 









Black to play — White has the opposition. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



129 



Play 13-17, 22-6, 3-7, 10-3, 1-28, and the opposi- 
tion is shifted, because the jumping pieces, 22, 10, and 
I, are not in opposition, but the eight pieces taking 
part in the exchange are. 



No. 4 



WHITE 






BLACK 

Black to play — Black has the opposition. 



Play 13-17, 22-13, 6-9, 13-6, 3-7, 10-3, 1-28, and 
the opposition is not shifted, because the jumping 
pieces, 22, 10 and i are not in opposition, and the eight 
pieces taking part in the exchange are not. 

See also "Theory of the move" ; also "Driving the 
king out," also "Holding the man." 

Origin of checkers: W. S. Branch in the Draughts 
World for December, 1903, reviews what is known 
of the ancient history of the game, and concludes that 
no board with just sixty- four squares has been dis- 
covered among the relics of ancient Egypt; that the 
word "draughts" in its old English sense means 
"moves" ; that the earliest English references to the 



130 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

game are found in translations of French romances, 
the oldest about 1380, a translation of a romance 
concerning Charlemagne — thereby showing that the 
game was pretty well known in England in 1400; 
that about 1300 A. D. is the date for the appearance 
of the game in England; and that the country of its 
origin is Spain. 

Another writer says in the Draughts World for 
June, 1907 : *'The ancient Roman board had more 
than a hundred squares, and the men moved differ- 
ently from those of modern draughts. Modern 
draughts is one of the ancient games played about 
1200-1300, probably first in Spain." 

Original play: That which has not previously been 
published. 

Overreaching : Trying to make more out of a posi- 
tion than there naturally is in it. Example: Trying 
to force a win when a draw is all that should be 
attempted; or striving to avoid the commonplace by 
means of a spectacular finish. Many games are lost 
by inexperienced players through overreaching. 

Oversight: Failure to observe some advantage or 
opportunity. Examples : Allowing a piece to be taken 
for nothing; overlooking an advantageous shot; in- 
advertently missing a chance to hold two pieces with 
one. Among expert players failing to recognize a 
familiar situation, or overlooking well-known pub- 
Hshed wins or draws, is regarded as an oversight. 
The simpler forms of oversights are also called "slips." 
Poor play that is the product of ignorance or in- 
expertness is not classed as an oversight. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 13 



Pacing match: A form of entertainment in which 
there are two players contending with each other, on 
a number of boards, each starting from a different 
point. Example: With twelve boards before them. 
one starts at the first board, the other at the seventh. 
If either overtakes the other, the belated player must 
move within a minute or forfeit that game. 

Paisley: The opening formed by 11-16, 24-19. 
In Janvier's Anderson, Brooklyn, N. Y., 1881, this 
statement is made : ''The Paisley is formed by the 
first two moves, 11-16, 24-19. So called by Janvier." 

Paterson's exposition: An erudite, abstract essay 
on the move and its changes, first given in Anderson's 
second edition, 1852. The demonstration is mathe- 
matical, and the reasoning is very difficult to follow. 
Regret has been expressed that so formidable a docu- 
ment has found place in a checker classic. It has 
undoubtedly given rise to absurd notions regarding 
the move. 

Patterson's Board: That section of the English 
magazine, the Draught Board, Xewcastle-on-Tyne, 
1869, which ran from February, 1871, to ]^Iarch, 1872, 
under the management of W. Patterson. It is also 
known as the Draught Board — Xew Series. 

Patterson's list: A list of 104 names of openings, 
without the moves composing them, given in Patter- 
son's handbook, the first edition of which was issued 
in 1872. The titles mentioned by Patterson which are 



132 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



not otherwise referred to in these pages are : Adven- 
turer, BrilHant, Butler's, Captain Crawley, Haphazard, 
Imperial, Potter, Old London. 

Patterson's openings: In the Draught Board for 
January, 1870, William Patterson's idea of classifying 
all play under the seven possible first moves of Black 
is endorsed by 'The Souter" (John Hedley), who 
proposed the following names: Aurora, 9-13; Zephy- 
rus, 9-14; Juno, 10-14; Iris, 10-15; Apollo, 11-15; 
Diana, 11-16; Hesperus, 12-16. These were the only 
titles to be used, no matter what White's reply might 
be. 

Pawn: This term was used in place of "man" by 
some of the earlier general writers, who w^ere more 
familiar with chess and other games played on a 
checkerboard than with EngHsh draughts. 

Payne's draw: The following position by William 
Payne, 1756: 

PAYNE'S DRAW 

WHITE 



^■wPwPwPn 



^ 






VA _V/////' 



''WMM B.„ i 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 133 

Solution: 7-10, 19-16, 10-7, 18-23, 11-8, 16-12, 8-1 1, 
23-19^ 7-Z^ 12-16, z-y. Drawn. 

Payne's rule: One of the various ways of deter- 
mining who has the move is credited to Payne, 1756. 
No such rule appears in Payne's works. The first 
treatise in EngHsh to give a rule for this purpose is 
that of Sturges, 1800. 

Payne's shot: The moves leading to this shot, as 
given in Lees's Guide, 1892, are as follows: 11-15, 
24-19, 15-24, 27-20, 8-1 1, 22-18, 10-15, 25-22, 15-19, 
23-16, 12-19, 29-25, 9-14, 18-9, 5-14, 32-27, 4-8, 22-17 
(leading to the shot by Payne, 1756), 19-23, 26-19, 
8-12, 17-10. 6-24, 28-19, 11-16, 20-11, J-Z'^. Black 
wins. 

P. B. : Pen name of Peter Bennett, of Glasgow, 
Scotland, whose problems and writings in the 
Draughts World are distinguished by grace and pre- 
cision. 

P. C. P.: Phelan's Checker Player. The title of 
the American Checker Player, a magazine by Thomas 
Phelan and Charles Kelly, Xew York, 1875, ^'^^ 
changed in 1877 to Phelan's Checker Player. 

P. D. B. : People's Draughts Book, a brief but 
excellent general treatise on the game, published in 
Dundee, Scotland, 1898. 

Pen the piece: To hold an opponent's man or 
king on a square from which it cannot move without 
being captured; particularly on a side square, because 
it is there penned in on all sides. A man held in the 
middle of the board by an opposing piece is some- 
times referred to as "pinned." The terms "pen" and 



134 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



''pin" are not appropriately applied to a piece that 
is blocked. 'Ten him, Josh," is the cross-roads notion 
of artful checker playing. 

Penalty: A player who breaks a rule of the game 
may be compelled to suffer the consequences, as set 
forth in the Standard Laws. 

People's game: The game of checkers considered 
as a popular pastime. 

Patterson's drawbridge: The following position 
by R. D. Petterson: 

PETTERSON'S DRAWBRIDGE 

WHITE 



» • « 4^ 

/////A /////A 'mm> 



m m m 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 31-26, 10-14, 26-31, 11-15, 31-26. Drawn. 

The third edition of Gould's Problems has a special 
section, by W. J. Wray, Halifax, entitled "Bridge 
Position Problems," in which eighty-two bridge prob- 
lems of various kinds, by various authors, are given. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



135 



The single piece or square 2^ is called the ''keystone 
of the bridge." The continuation of the play on Pet- 
terson's drawbridge, by John Bradley, is there given. 
The first example of the bridge idea there presented is 
the following problem by B. Woolhouse : 

THE WOOLHOUSE BRIDGE 

WHITE 






BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 14-9, 6-2, 1-5, 10-6, 3-10, 6-1, 10-15, 1-6, 
9-13, 6-10, 15-18, 10-14, 18-22, 2-6, 22-25, 6-10, 25-29, 
10-15, 29-25, 15-18, 25-21, 18-22. Black wins by Third 
position. 

Petterson's rule: R. D. Petterson said, in the 
Draughts Quarterly Review for October, 1890: *T am 
not sure that you can correctly say that the move 
exists with uneven pieces. It is quite open to argu- 
ment; but practically there are two moves, and you 



136 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

will find that if you have the move on the left hand 
side of the board, you will not have it on the right 
hand side of the board/' 

To determine on which side of the board a player 
has the move in the case of unequal pieces, the fol- 
lowing rule was presented by Petterson in the Inter- 
national Draughts ^lagazine for January, 1891 : 

*Tf it is Black's turn to play, count all the pieces 
in the files springing from squares i, 2, 3, and 4; 
if they are an even number, Black has the move on 
the left hand side of the board (that is, from his 
single to his opponent's double corner) ; if odd, he 
will have the move on his right hand side of the 
board. The same rule applies to White when he 
has to move, counting the pieces on his files, 29, 30, 
31, and 32, in a similar manner." 

This rule has no known practical bearing on or- 
dinary cases of unequal pieces, as, for instance, two 
kings against three kings, or the loss of a piece at 
any stage, unless Payne's position or Tregaskis's posi- 
tion is in sight. For another way to work out this 
idea, see "Holding the man." 

Philadelphia game: Colloquial for ''See-saw" or 
"Wiggle the king." 

Philosopher's game: A game of medieval and 
earlier times, not at all like draughts. It has been 
described thus: 

"It was played on an oblong board, eight squares 
one way to apparently sixteen squares the other way, 
with twenty-four pieces on a side, eight of them being 
circular in shape, eight rectangular, and eight square." 



X'OCABULARV OF CHECKERS 



137 



Picture frame: The following curiosity, credited 
in Lyman's Problems to Dr. W. M. Purcell, Reels- 
ville, Ind. : 

PICTURE FRAME POSITION 




BL.\CK 

A\Tiite to play; Black to draw. 

Solution: 4-8. 29-25, 31-26, 2-6, 8-11, 12-16, 32-27, 
25-29. 27-23. 29-25. 23-18, 6-10. 18-14, ia-17, 21-14, 
25-21. 14-10. 16-19, 11-16. 21-17. 16-23. 17-14. 107, 
3-10. 23-19. 14-17, 19-16. (ai 17-21. 16-11, 10-14, 
26-22, 5-9. 13-6. i-io. 22-17. 14-1^. 17-13. 18-23, 1 1-7, 
10-14, 7-1 1. 21-17. Drawn. 

(sl) In the British Draught Player, page 200, J. 
Macfarlane finishes as follows: 17-14. 16-11, 1-6, 
26-2S. 14-17. 30-25.. 17-21. 1 1-7.. 21-30. 7-14. 30-26, 
23-19. 26-23. 19-16, 23-19. 16-11. 19-23. Drawn. 

A note there made by F. Tescheleit calls attention 
to the fact that not only are the pieces "counterpart," 
but each of the outside squares is occupied, thus 
making it the "most unique of positions." 



138 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

The game from which this position came, credited 
by Lyman to G. Dick, is as follows: 11-16, 22-18, 
10-14, 25-22, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 18-15, 11-18, 22-15, 
16-20, 26-22, 14-18, 23-14, 9-18, 24-19, 7-1 1, 21-17, 
11-16, 17-13, 16-23, 15-10, 6-15, 25-21, 18-25, 27-4, 
25-29. Forms picture frame. 

This position originally appeared in the American 
Checker Player for December, 1875, with the terms, 
"The side playing first wins" ; by George Dick, King- 
seat, Scotland, Will H. Tyson, in the Canadian Check- 
er Player for July, 1909, reviews the position, with 
Dick's play, devised to sustain these terms. 

Piece: A man or a king. This term is ordinarily 
applied to a single piece rather than to a king, which 
is a crowned piece. Circumlocution is frequently 
avoided by using this term in its widest sense, as, for 
instance, in the phrase "even pieces," meaning the 
same number of squares occupied by one side as by 
the other, including men and kings. 

Piece short: Having one less piece than the op- 
posing side has. 

Pillsbury's dictum: The following formula used 
by H. X. Pillsbury, chess master and checker expert, 
when requested for an opinion on the merits of the 
two pastimes : "Chess is what you see ; checkers is 
what you know. There is enough in either game to 
last a man a lifetime." Compare "Poe's opinion" ; 
also ''Blackburne's remark." 

Pin the piece: See 'Ten the piece." 

Pioneer: i. The Souter opening extended as fol- 
lows: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, 17-13, 2-6, 25-22, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 139 

14-17; according to William Hay's Draught Player, 
1862. Hay gives the titles "Needle" and "Shuttle" 
to two of the lines of play springing from the opening. 
2. The opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, 8-1 1, 25-22. 
So named by J. D. Janvier. 

Pioneer Checker column : The department devoted 
to the game started in the New York Clipper in 1855, 

I. D. J. Sweet, editor. This is not the first periodical 
to pay any attention to the game, but it is the pioneer 
newspaper column, and showed the way to an un- 
known number of followers. 

Piracy: Giving a game or position as original 
when it is known to belong to some one else. See 
"Credit," also "Rediscovery." 

Pitch the piece: See "Sacrifice." 

Pitfall: An enticing opportunity which leads to 
surprising difficulties. 

Pivot draw: This term is sometimes used to tease 
a tyro who finds it difficult to win with three kings 
against two kings in the single corner section of the 
board w-hen the weaker side makes a pivot of square 

II, as in the following position: Black kings on 2, 
10, 18; white kings on 3 and 11. The win is as 
follows: 18-14, 3-8, 107, 11-16, 7-3, 8-11, 14-10, 16-12, 
10-7, 12-16, 3-8, 1 1-4, 7-1 1. Black wins. 

Plant a piece: To move it to a square of com- 
manding importance, and stubbornly keep it there. 

Plato quotation: A translation from Plato's Re- 
public used in old Spanish draughts books, and re- 
produced in English on the title page or elsewhere 
in several modern checker works, as a kind of golden 



140 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

thought, thus: "I do not Hve to play, but I play in 
order that I may live, and return with greater zest 
to the labors of life." 

Plausible: The move which, in the absence of a 
complete analysis, appears to be the best. 

Poe's opinion: The following comment of Edgar 
Allan Poe in the opening paragraphs of his tale, The 
Murders in the Rue Morgue : 

'To calculate is not in itself to analyze. A chess 
player, for example, does one without effort at the 
other. I will therefore take occasion to assert that 
the higher powers of the reflective intellect are more 
decidedly and more usefully tasked by the unosten- 
tatious game of draughts than by all the elaborate 
frivolity of chess. In the latter, where the pieces have 
different and bizarre motions, with various and variable 
values, what is only complex is mistaken (a not unusual 
error) for what is profound. The attention is here 
called powerfully into play. If it flag for an instant, 
an oversight is committed resulting in injury or defeat. 
The possible moves being not only manifold, but 
involute, the chances of such oversights are multi- 
plied; and in nine cases out of ten it is the more 
concentrative, rather than the more acute, player who 
conquers. In draughts, on the contrary, where the 
moves are unique and have but little variation, the 
probabilities of inadvertence are diminished, and the 
mere attention being left comparatively unemployed, 
what advantages are obtained by either party are 
obtained by superior acumen." 

See ''Blackburne's remark," and "Pillsbury's dictum." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS Ml 

Poet of the Brod: A name given to James Ogg, 
Aberdeen, Scotland, because of his numerous con- 
tributions in verse to the Hterature of the game. He 
has also been called the "Poet Laureate of Draughts." 
A biographical sketch, with portrait, of James Ogg, 
is given in the Draughts World for June, 1896. 

Point: A distinct idea, or principle, of noteworthy 
importance. Every problem of the gem class con- 
tains a point. 

Polish draughts: In this game a piece may capture 
backward as well as forward, and a king moves and 
jumps to any distance, as in Spanish draughts. 
The People's Draughts Book, Dundee, Scotland, 1898, 
says : 

"This is the game universally played by the Belgians, 
French, and Hollanders. It is played on a board of 
100 squares with 20 pieces on a side. The game is 
also played on a 64-square board, with 12 pieces on a 
side, in Russia and Germany, under the name of Minor 
Polish draughts. In India and other parts of the 
globe it is played extensively on a board of 144 squares. 
with 30 pieces on a side ; but. although the board 
and number of pieces vary, it is Polish draughts all 
the same, with exactly the same system of play." 

There are more than twenty important treatises on 
the game in foreign languages. When played on the 
144-square board the game is sometimes called "Major 
Polish draughts." 

Owing to the power of the man in jumping back- 
ward or forward, and the great power of the king, 
both in moving and jumping, the strategy of the game 



y 



142 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

is confined almost entirely to stroke tactics. Dunne's 
Guide, 1890, gives a description of Polish draughts, 
with numerous games and problems. 

Position: Any situation of the pieces at any stage 
of a game or problem. Any problem is a position, 
but it is not good usage to call a position a problem 
before it reaches the point where it has a fixed setting, 
with a stated result that can be obtained in but one way. 
Useful problems, that is, those that occur frequently or 
occasionally in actual games, are properly called posi- 
tions, the restrictive meaning of the term being em- 
ployed in those cases. This technical use of the term is 
due largely to the fact that the idea in the position 
may present itself in various settings. First position 
and Tregaskis's draw, for examples, have changeable 
settings. 

Post a piece: Same as 'Tlant a piece." 
Power: The game of checkers rests its claim to 
superiority as a science to other games of a similar 
nature on a principle that may be stated as follows: 
An increase of power is a decrease of opportunity. 
It is a game of short steps. There is no waste. To 
attempt to improve it by increasing the power of the 
pieces is to give better weapons to the defense than 
to the attack, and thus destroy the host of wonders 
found in the endings, that are the glory of the game. 
To increase the number of squares and men is to 
nullify the element of proximity, and thus substitute 
showy pretension for intricate simplicity. The value 
of the element of proximity is illustrated in the strategy 
of three kings against two kings, one in each double 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 143 

corner. The game of checkers is the ideal reaHzed 
in the economy of power. Dr. T. J. Brown observes : 
"A position in which the opposing forces are few in 
number and low in power is generally more difficult 
of solution than one in which the field of encounter 
is crowded with numbers." 

P. P.: Published play. 

Practical Draught Player: The title of a series of 
contributions by James Lees to the pages of the Scot- 
tish Draughts Quarterly, Glasgow, 1896, covering the 
openings: Ayrshire Lassie, Alma, Bristol, Bristol- 
Cross, Black Doctor. The purpose of the series was 
announced to be, "A more useful and advanced hand- 
book than Lees's Guide." The undertaking was not 
completed, owing to the death of Lees. 

Preferred: Same as ''Black for choice," or "White 
for choice." 

Principal openings: See "Standard openings." 

Principles: A checker principle is any distinct idea 
that can be produced on a checkerboard without violat- 
ing the laws of the game. The elementary principles 
are: moving, capturing, crowning, cornering, cramp- 
ing, confining, sacrificing, backing, blocking, holding 
back, choice of jumps, the stroke, the in and out shot, 
the see-saw, the breeches, the draw, the spare move, 
the waiting move, and the opposition. The higher 
principles are the useful points in practical problems. 
Theoretical ideas shown in impossible or absurd posi- 
tions, or in mere puzzles, are not classed as principles. 

Problem: Any position with a known result stated 
in definite terms. Problems are classified by some 



144 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

authorities as practical and theoretical, by others as 
end games and strokes, by others as gems and studies. 
The tendency of latter-day composers is to make three 
grand divisions: Idea problems, solved by discovering 
the principle involved; stroke problems, solved by 
means of a decisive shot ; and task problems, solved 
by intricate play. Problems should be solved without 
touching a piece. Manufactured stroke problems are 
properly classed as puzzles ; task problems are properly 
classed as analytical studies. Compare ''Position." 

Problem composer's license: An unusual appear- 
ing setting. In the Draughts World for June, 1908, 
H. D. Lyman, in a note to a solution to a problem that 
he says could not occur in play, remarks : 'The setting 
may be called a problem composer's license, forced 
upon him to devise something piquant." 

Problem output: There are about three hundred 
good problems with two pieces on a side, including 
the 2 by 3 class, and perhaps three thousand good 
problems having three pieces on a side, including the 
3 by 4 class. Problems of a higher number of pieces 
include so many strokes, and also so many worthless 
inventions, that an approximation of the total number 
is a task not worth undertaking. Some problemists 
are so exceedingly prolific they appear to upset the 
notion of supply and demand. H. T. Smith, the 
Chelsea, England, problemist, for instance, is credited 
in the Draughts World for June, 1905, and for May, 
1906, with producing problems at the maximum rate 
of 425 a year. 

Schaefer's Checkerist, New York, August, 1901, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 145 

credits W. \'eal with a total output at that time of 
2,000 or more problems; sometimes "turning out the 
finished product at the rate of ten to twenty per diem." 
Dr. Schaefer's comment on this performance is con- 
fined to the single word, "Wow !'' 

Problemist: One who discovers or invents prob- 
lems. 

Proficient : Same as ''Expert." 

Propositions: Positions accompanied by unusual 
terms are properly classed as propositions rather than 
as problems. Examples of unusual terms : Black to 
play, and White to draw ; Either to play, and Black 
to win; Black to play, and what result? 

Provost: Drummond's name for the Will o* the 
Wisp opening. 11-15. 23-19, 9-13. as given in his 
second edition, 1852. 

Published play: That which has appeared in print 
anywhere at any time. Experts are supposed to "keep 
posted" on all new play before it finds its way into 
standard treatises. Abbreviation: p. p. 

Puff, pad, and pifHe: Sometimes used as epithets, 
meaning bumptiousness, shoddiness, and silliness. 
Pretentious incompetents, unaware of their own ab- 
surdity, are wickedly called "slobs." 

Punch holes: To destroy the validity of a solution 
or play of any kind by "sticking in" moves that had 
been overlooked or disregarded. 

Purse: A money prize not furnished by the con- 
testants or their backers, as distinguished from a stake. 

Push for the draw: To play with eagerness for 
a draw when hard pressed. This phrase is not syn- 



146 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



onymous with the term ''run," which means to show 
lack of sportsman's courage, and hurry by the most 
direct route for the draw before pushed to do so. 

Puzzles: The board and pieces have been used to 
show various tricks, catches, and trivial notions. A 
farcical catch that has found its way into several 
checker magazines is the following: black men on 19 
and 21 ; white men on 29, 30, and 31, with the 
statement: The player having the black pieces cannot 
crown the first piece he touches. Solution: 19-24, 
29-25, 24-28, 30-26, 21-30, 31-27, 30-32. 

In the American Checker Review for May, 1893, 
M. H. C. Wardell gave a pair of ingenious checker 
tricks, both on the same theme, the first of which is 
as follows: 

WARDELL'S PUZZLE 

WHITE 



mam. m. 



M. :M #s:„„„i 



m..:.. 



1 B,.....B 1 






BLACK 



Black to play, and lose by a stroke. 
Solution (variations being omitted here) : 2-6, 31-26, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 147 

6-9, 26-23, 21-17, 23-18, 17-14, 18-15, 14-18, 15-10, 
18-15, 10-6, 15-10, 6-2, 10-6, 2-7, 6-10 (the stroke). 

Dr. T. J. Brown's ''Running the Gauntlet" puzzle, 
given in the English Draught Player for April, 1882, 
consists in placing four black men on four of the first 
twelve squares so that one of them can succeed in 
reaching the kingrow in spite of eight white pieces 
on squares 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 2^. Solution 
(variations being omitted here) : Black places four 
men on 'squares 2, 9, 10, 12, and plays 9-13, 24-20, 
2-y, 23-18, 7-1 1, 2y-2s, 10-15, 19-ia 11-16, 20-11, 
12-16 (safe king). In connection with this puzzle 
Dr. Brown makes this note: "My first attempt at 
problem making." 

What is known as the "Eight men -puzzle" is solved 
in twelve diflPerent wavs bv H. O. Robinson in the 
Draughts World for July, 1908. It consists in placing 
eight men in such a way that no two of them shall be 
in a line; using both black and white squares. The 
first way given is as follows : Place men on squares 
I, 13, 24, 30, 35, 47, 50, 60. 



Quadrilaterals: See ''Design problems." 
Qualifications:^ Much has been said regarding the 
qualities that are supposed to characterize a good 
checker player, but nothing more satisfactory than 
platitudes equally applicable to experts in other pur- 
suits has been produced. Following is a fair sample 
of the best that has been said: "A goo4 draughts 



148 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



player must possess imagination ; not the power of 
conjuring up the remote and unknowable, but the gift 
of realizing correctly the truth of things as they are. 
In its ever present reality is its mystery. A realization 
of the economy of draughts is a necessity." 



Razzle Dazzle: A name referred to In the Amer- 
ican Checker Review for April, 1894, by J. D. Janvier 
as being an appropriate title for the Black Doctor 
opening. 

Reading a game: Following recorded moves with- 
out the use of the board and men. When a player 
acquires the ability to read the games he is interested 
in, he soon becomes able to converse in figures. 

Rebound stroke: One in which a piece is com- 
pelled to furnish the backing for a shot. Example: 

REBOUND STROKE 

WHITE 



am 



y//y. 






VMr~<''y^y 



W/^y 



, W>..^ « %m -^^^^ 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



149 



Solution: 6-9, 13-6, 15-18, 22-15. loiQ- 24-15. 1-19. 
Black wins. 

Rediscovery: The same idea in a game or problem 
presented as original by two or more persons. Cases 
of rediscovery are of frequent occurrence among prob- 
lemists, and familiarity with what has been published 
is essential to avoid repetition. Ignorance of what 
has appeared is not a valid plea, and credit is always 
determined by priority of publication. Deliberate ap- 
propriation of ideas has sometimes occurred, and "un- 
conscious cerebration" may in some instances have 
taken place. Following is an example of actual re- 
discovery, as given by Frank Dunne in the Leeds 
Mercury Supplement. March 5, 1904. 



BY FRANK DUXXE 



WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 30-25, 2'j-22^, 25-22, 23-19, 22-18, 19-16, 
18-15, 16-12, 28-32, 12-8, 32-28, 8-3. 28-24, 3-7, 24-19, 



150 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

j-2, 15-10, 31-26, 10-14, 2-6, 14-18, 6-10, 19-24, 10-6, 
24-27, 26-23, 18-15. Black wins. 

'*In contributing the above problem, Mr. W. T. Call 
writes : This problem is the finest discovery I ever 
made in the game. It is my pet. and I have been very 
proud of it since it appeared under my name in Dr. 
Schaefer's column in the Newark Sunday Call, with 
a complimentary inscription, November 15, 1903. 
Last night, while looking over Stearns's Book of Por- 
traits, \'ol. II, published in 1895, "^y ^y^ "^^'^s arrested 
by Problem No. 79 on page 117. There it was — my 
problem — my finest problem, not in a dififerent 
form, but in the identical setting in which I had fixed 
my jewel. Above it was the name, F. Dunne. Under 
it I wrote, I. M. Done.' '' 

Recoil: Same as ''Back stroke.'' 

Recreationist list: The following openings, not 
otherwise referred to in these pages, as mentioned in 
The Recreationist, Leeds, England, 1873-74: Albion, 
10-15, 21-17, 6-10, 17-13, 1-6; Delaware, 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, 15-18; Erin, 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 26-23; 
Hermit, 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 10-14; Laurieston, 
11-15, 22-17, 9-14, 25-22; Mersey, 11-15, 22-17, 9-i4» 
17-13; Ravensdowne, 11-15, 24-19, 15-24, 27-20; Sec- 
ond Double Cross, 11-15, 23-18, 8-1 1, 18-14, 9-18, 
24-19, 15-24, 22-8, 4-1 1, 28-19; Thames, 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 24-20. 

Reduce : To exchange for the purpose of decreasing 
the number of pieces in play ; particularly when a piece 
ahead. 

Reference board: A board or diagram with the 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



151 



\llietlier the board 

die bottom or at the 

top is a matter of taste or habit. In these pages all 



positkms are shown widi il ^ 
mal r ing the first moTe, an: 
Taiiablj at the bottcm of the 
thos: 



iniar i ablj 

k side in- 

-c reader. 




t-.t^ 



ooed bj pnttii]^ 7 :i - ::- 

--5 of Black, 
:- :^: pieces a: ;:_.;;...._... : 

at the : : r Z r 

: - : : i r. : ^ reapodL 

.i: ::7- -;s :r ::~ to cover all 



152 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

the chief openings of the game, as distinguished from 
those that are seldom played. See "Irregular open- 
ings"; also "Principal openings." 

Raid's Bristol move: Lees's Guide, 1892, states 
that W. Reid against W. Campbell in 1881 first played 
the 20-16 move in the Bristol opening extended as 
follows: 11-16, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 12-19, 22-18, 10-14, 
18-15, 7-10, 20-16. 

Release the piece: To clear the way so a confined 
piece may be brought into action; refers especially to 
a piece that has been penned. 

Repeats: The same series of moves occurring in 
several games of a match or tournament. Example: 
The line of play in the Glasgow opening known as 
Martins's rest was repeated twenty-one times in the 
WylHe-Martins match of 1863. It was to enforce 
variety that the two-move restriction method of open- 
ing games came into vogue. 

Repetition draw: One in which the kings on the 
opposing sides move here and there in their respective 
safe localities without materially altering the situation. 

Reply: The move made as an answer to the last 
preceding move of the other side. 

Responsible: A compiler who adopts play for 
which he gives credit to others is held as responsible 
for its correctness as he is for that which is original 
with himself. 

Restriction : An understanding by which the open- 
ings to be played in a match are agreed upon before 
starting, or are selected by chance, as opposed to the 
old style go-as-you-please way of beginning a game. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 153 

For the method of selection followed at the present 
time, see *'Two-move restriction." 

Previous to the adoption of this method, the style 
of restriction took its name from the match in which 
the players named used it. The first important in- 
stance is the Wyllie-Martins match of 1864. Succeed- 
ing styles of restriction of note are: Barker-Reed, 
Wyllie-Bryden, Searight-McKelvie, Wyllie-Jordan, 
Ferrie-Jordan, Jordan-Stewart, Jordan-Barker. 

Retired player: One who has ceased to take active 
part in the affairs of the game. 

Reversed result: It is sometimes found that the 
result called for in the terms of a problem is the 
opposite of the true solution. O. H. Richmond, in 
the American Checker Review, Vol. II, No. 24, Feb- 
ruary 20, 1890, cites an interesting case of the kind in 
which a white win was shown, a draw was demon- 
strated, and a black win finally proved. 

Reversion: Substituting black pieces for white 
pieces, and white pieces for black pieces. The re- 
corded moves of a problem may be reversed by sub- 
tracting their numbers from 33. Example: The re- 
verse of 22-18, 11-16, is 11-15, 22-17. 

Previous to the adoption of the Standard Laws, in 
1852, which give Black the first move invariably, 
games were started by either the black or the white 
side, and that custom as applied to problems has not 
been changed. The desire for uniformity in this re- 
spect has been expressed as follows : "It is a pity 
the problemists have not followed the law governing 
games, by always giving Black the first move in their 



154 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

productions. It is difficult to find the idea you are 
looking for in a mixed collection. It is also regrettable 
that editors have not made it a fixed custom to present 
all diagrams with Black at the bottom, where the 
terms of the problem are given." See also ''Colors 
reversed." 

In reversing figures it is an aid to those who have 
not mastered the subject to remember that o calls for 
3, I for .2, 4 for 9, 5 for 8, 6 for 7, and vice versa, 
as shown in the following complete table: 

= 00 2 = 31 4 = 29 6 = 27 8 = 25 

10 = 23 12 — 21 14 =19 16 = 17 18 = 15 
30 = 3 22 = II 24= 9 26 — 7 28 = 5 

1 = 32 3 = 30 5 ="28 7 = 26 9 = 24 

11 =^22 13 = 20 15 =18 17 = 16 19 = 14 
21 = 12 23 = 10 25 = 8 27 = 6 29 = 4 

Right hand double corner: A convenient phrase 
telling how to place the board. Drummond's instruc- 
tions in 185 1 read as follows: "The board should al- 
ways be placed so that each player may have his own 
double corner on his right hand." The Standard 
Laws, published by Anderson in 1852, directed the 
eye to the single corner, thus: "The board shall be 
placed so that the bottom corner square on the left 
hand shall be black." The difference in the two rules 
is that the former applies to playing on either the black 
or the white squares, while the latter makes it obliga- 
tory to play on the black squares. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



155 



Roger's draw: The following position by C. G. 
Roger : 

ROGER'S DRAW 

WHITE 



^«*«"»". 



, « m ,W 

%,^^M.iA Bo 






. ^ 



; ^ 



» ^ ^ ^P ~ 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 14-9, 11-16, 9-14, 16-19, 14-9, 19-23, 10-14, 
23-26, "14-18, 1-5, 9-14. Drawn. 

No. 635 in Gould's Problems is Roger's draw set 
back to a very early stage. Compare Tregaskis's 
draw. 

Romance of the board: The following description 
of a variation of the Laird and Lady game, appearing 
in a little treatise by S. T. Livermore, entitled "Check- 
ers Improved," published in Hartford, Conn., 1888: 

"Early in the game the Lady moves 21 to 14, and 
stays there. Soon after the Laird starts for her, leav- 
ing 26, resting a moment at 23, another at 19, ending 
his romantic journey by a happy leap from 19 to 10, 
where he and his Lady seem contented while others 



.156 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

around them carry on the game until the contest ends 
by a black king capturing the Laird's Lady. Such is 
Hfe." 

The variation that is the subject of this effusion is: 
"11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 9-13, 17-14, 10-17, (Lady) 
21-14, 15-18, (Laird) 26-23, 13-17, 19-15, 4-8, 23-19, 
6-9, 24-20, 1-6, 28-24, 9-13, 15-10, 6-15, 19-10 (Laird 
and Lady now together), 11- 15, 31-26, 8-1 1, 25-22, 
18-25, 29-22, 11-16, 20-11, 7-16, 26-23, 17-26, 23-19, 
16-23, 27-11, 13-17, 30-23, 17-22, 23-19, 22-26, 1 1-8, 
26-31, 8-4, 31-26, 4-8, 26-22, 8-1 1, 22-18, 32-28, 18-9 
captures the Lady and draws the contest." 

Root: The fundamental idea or principle at the 
bottom of a problem. This word is also sometimes 
used as synonymous with ''trunk." Compare "Stem." 

Round: The games of all the players in each al- 
lotment of opponents in a tournament. 

Roundsquare board: A checkerboard invented by 
W. T. Call ; so named because the field is composed 
of circles instead of squares, as shown in the following 
diagram : 




VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 157 

The size of the standard board is thus reduced 
nearly forty per cent., without diminishing the size 
of the playing spaces. In this way the player "gets 
closer" to his game than formerly, and the positions 
stand out clear and compact. The effect on the eye 
of circular pieces on circles is that of symmetry, and 
the attention is not subject to distraction, as is the 
case of the same pieces on squares. 

Royal family: The twenty-one contributors to An- 
derson's second edition, 1852, have been so called, 
on account of the authoritative station of that work 
in the annals of the game. 

Royal road: The easy course to perfection which 
exists in dreams and catch-penny handbooks. 

Rules: The rules governing the game of checkers 
are the "Standard Laws." 

Run: To ignore the possibility of obtaining a win, 
and go direct for a draw. 

Run off the man : To continue to capture the pieces 
as they appear in turn on an isolated square. Ex- 
ample : The variation known as the "Knock-down 
Bristol." A similar meaning is attached to the phrase 
"Go after the man." 

Run out of moves: To be unable to move any- 
where, on account of being blocked ; or to be unable 
to move without being forced to give one or more 
pieces for nothing. 

Run up a game: To make the moves again, for 
the purpose of showing how a game was played. 

Runner up: The player who comes out second in 
a tournament. 



158 VCXZABULAR^' OF CHECKERS 

S 

S. : Initial for "Same" ; used by some compUers to 
indicate that the position at the point where S is in- 
serted will be referred to in succeeding variations by 
repeating the letter instead of the play. 

Sacrifice: \'oluntarily giving away a piece. \Vhen 
the gift is obhgator>-, it is called a forced sacrifice. 
Pieces given in an even exchange are not sacrificed. 
Pitching, throwing, and sacrificing are synonymous 
terms. Compare "Scotch Sacrifice." 

Safe: A correct move or line of play for protection 
rather than attack; defensive play. 

S. and A.: Swan and Adamson. The analysis of 
J. Swan, of Leslie, revised by C. Adamson of Leven, 
covering various openings, appeared originally in the 
Glasgow Weekly Herald from 1876 to 1883. 

S. and K.: Schaefer and Kelly, whose four pam- 
phlets on the Paisley, Single Comer, and A\Tshire 
Lassie (two parts) openings were pubhshed in Woon- 
socket and Brooklyn in 1886 and 1887. 

Sans voir: Without sight of board or men. Same 
as -Bfindfold." 

Saukell's shot: The shot occurring at the close of 
the following game: 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 9-i3» 
17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 15-18, 19-15, 4-8, 24-19, 6^, 15-10, 
13-17, 19-15, 17-21, 28-24, 11-16, 15-11 (the shot), 
8-15, 10-6, 1-17, 25-22, 18-25, 29-6, 2-9, 24-19. White 
wins. 

In Gould's Problems. 1884, a note to No. 754 states 
that this ending occurred in a game between Saukell 



VOCABLl-ARY OF CHECKERS 159 

and Striddand, and that Saakdl is the {^jer who 
made the shot. The position is credited to Yates 
in Lyinan's Problems, 1881. 

Science: The game of dieckers is dassed as a 
sdence rather than as an art, because it is an orderly 
arrangement of facts that may be used bj odiers. The 
crossboard work of diecker artists is so often un- 
scientific that a Toice has been raised as follows : '''We 
want the real thing. Analyzed play is the only kind 
worth publishing."' 

S: r-- -: play: Understanding^y making tfie cor- 
rcc: :ll: .z: in a particularly intricate situation. 

Scope: Embracing more than one correct variation. 
Wlien there are several ways of derdoping a position, 
a player is said to haTC great soqie. 

Scotdi impco vements : The new play found in the 
works of Scottish authors, beginning with Sindair, 
1852, and induding Dmmmond, Anderson, and WyDie. 
Sturges's Guide, London, 1800, was tiie authority on 
all standard play until the Scottish audiors b^^an to 
puUish the results of dieir iuYCStigations. 

Scotdi sacrifice: A gift accompanied by tiie ex- 
pectatioo of getting "mair than yer ain back.'* A 
coomion atta c hm ent is the saying ^Nothing for noth- 
ii^, and precious little for a bawbee" (Scotdi for a 
halfpenny). This term is sparingly used, and is ap- 
plied only in the case of a sacrifice diat is artful or 
misleading in intent. Example: The Fife opening, 
thus: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 5-9. 17-13- 14-18, iShi6, 
12-19, 26-23, 19-26, 30-5; somebmes called the Aree 
for two Fife, 



160 VCXZABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Dunne's Praxis. Warrington, England, 1905, pages 
74 and 82, gives two examples of the Scotch sacrifice, 
there termed the Scot's sacrifice, one occurring 'in the 
body of a Denny game, the other near the end of a 
Cross game. 

The Draughts World for September, 1904. says 
James Lees was the first to use the term Scotch sac- 
rifice. 

Scrub: A significant colloquialism in constant use 
to designate the large class of adroit players who are 
not rated as experts. 

S. C. T. : Scottish Championship Tournament. 

S. D. A.: Scottish Draughts Association. 

S. D. P. : Scottish Draught Player, the general title 
of John Drummond's works. 1838, 1851. 1861, 1866. 

S. D. Q. : Scottish Draughts Quarterly, a magazine 
by A. Bryson & Co.. James Lees, editor, Glasgow, 1896. 

Second Double Comer: The opening formed by 
11-15. 24-19. This title was first used in Anderson's 
second edition, 1852. Anderson says : "The Second 
Double Corner is formed by the first two moves.'' 

Second player: The one who has the white pieces; 
also the one who is required to make the second move 
in a position, whether white or black. See "First 
player.'' 

Second side: The player having the white pieces 
in a game; also the defending side, whether white 
or black. 

Second position : The first work in English on the 
game of checkers, Payne, 1756, gives this important 
position as the "Sixth Situation," with the setting and 
solution as follows: 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 161 



BY WILLIAM PAYXE 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 15-19. 28-^2. 19-24. 32-28. 11-16, 28-19, 
16-23, 12-8, 23-18, 8-3, 18-14, 3-8, 6-1, 8-1 1, 14-9, 13-6, 
I -10. Black wins. 

In Anderson's second edition, 1852, this is called 
"2nd Position," with the footnote: **\'arious stages of 
this position frequently occur. In the diagram the 
play is therefore purposely put back." The setting 
given by Anderson, and adopted in succeeding text 
books, requiring eighty-three moves to complete the 
solution, is as follows : 

In the English Draught Player for February, 1878, 
Fred W. Drinkwater gives "Second Position in Em- 
bryo," with two pages of analysis, the setting being 
as follows: 



162 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



SECOND POSITION 



W4 



^ ^ ^S^ ^. 



BL.\CK 

Black to play, and win. 



SECOND POSITION IN EMBRYO 







BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 163 

See-saw draw : One secured by moving a king back 
and forth in a situation from which he cannot be 
dislodged. This term is also sometimes applied to any 
repetition of moves by one or both sides constituting 
a draw. 

Selected: This word is sometimes attached to a 
problem or a game of unknown or doubtful author- 
ship to indicate that it is not new and is not original 
with the user. 

Semi-final: The next to the last round in a knock- 
out tournament. 

Set : The way the board is placed ; also the way the 
pieces are placed. Example: First position may be 
represented with Black or White to win, and with 
either color going down the board or up the board. 
That is, it may be set in four different ways. The 
same is true of all positions. Some editors present 
all problems in terms of black, and invariably assign 
the bottom of the board to that side. Compare "Set- 
ting." 

Set match : A match for a stake, governed by fixed 
rules and conditions, usually embodied in articles of 
agreement signed by the principals. See also ''Sub- 
scription match", "Friendly match," "Exhibition 
match." 

Set position: A term sometimes used to signify 
that the situation did not come from a game, but was 
manufactured to show an idea. 

Seton trap: Lees's Guide, 1892, states that Seton 
trapped Wyllie in 1850 on the 3-8 move, near the close 
of an Ayrshire Lassie game played as follows: 



164 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

11-15, 24-20, 8-1 1, 28-24, 4-8, 23-19, 15-18, 22-15, 
11-18, 32-28, 10-14, 26-23, 9-13, 19-15, 7-11, 31-26, 
2-7, 26-22, 13-17, 22-13, 6-9, 13-6, 1-26, 30-23, 11-15, 
25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 7-10, 23-19, 5-9, 22-17, 9-13. 20-16, 
13-22, 16-11, 22-26, 1 1-4, 26-31, 4-8, z--], 8-3, 31-26, 
19-16, 12-19, 2^-2}^, 26-22, 23-16, 22-18, 3-8 (the move 
referred to), 7-1 1, 16-7, 15-19, 24-6, 14-17. Black 
wins. 

Setting: The situation of the pieces. A position 
may have a variety of settings without altering the 
principle involved. First position, for instance, has 
several common settings. One of the elements of a 
good problem is a setting having a natural appearance. 
Compare ''Set." 

Short: One side having less pieces than the other 
side has. 

Shot: Giving one or more pieces in order to make 
a long jump. Synonymous with "Stroke"; but the 
term stroke commonly carries with it the idea of com- 
pletely wrecking a position, as in stroke problems — 
that is, it is a destructive shot. 

Shuttle : A line of play springing from the opening 
11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, according to William 
Hay's Draught Player, 1862. The play of the Shuttle 
runs as follows: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17, 6-9, 17-13, 
2-6, 25-22, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 22-17, 14-18, 27-23. Com- 
pare "Needle." See also "Pioneer." 

Side: i. Either of the two contending forces. 
2. The right or left hand edge of the board. 

Side game: A colloquial term of indefinite signifi- 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 165 

cance, but in a general way meaning the scattering 
of the pieces along the sides of the board, rather than 
massing them toward the middle of the board. 

Side move: A move into one of the side squares. 

Side squares: The six squares numbered 5, 13, 
21, 12, 20, 28, as distinguished from the top, bottom, 
and middle squares. 

Side take: Capturing a piece by jumping toward 
the side when there is an opportunity to jump toward 
the middle of the board. Example: 11-15, 22-18, 
15-22, 26-17. The last capture, 26-17, is distinguished 
as the side take in the Single Comer opening, the 
usual way to complete the exchange being by 25-18. 

Sight solve : To work out the solution of a problem 
without moving the pieces. 

Silent game : A pet name for the game of checkers. 

Simultaneous: Several games conducted at the 
same time by one player. 

Single Comer: i. The opening formed by 11-15, 
22-18. This title was first used in Anderson's second 
edition, 1852. Anderson says : "The Single Comer 
is formed by the first two moves." 2. The comer 
of the board at the left of the player. 

Single Comer Fife: The opening formed by 11-15, 
22-18, 15-22, 25-18. 12-16, 29-25, 10-14, 24-19, 8-12, 
28-24, 16-20. 19-15, 14-17; as named by John T. Denvir 
in Durgin's Single Corner book, Chicago, 1894. 

Single exchange: An exchange in which but one 
jump is made by one of the players. This term is 
not restricted to a one for one exchange, but applies 
to an exchange of any number of pieces by either side 



166 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

accomplished by one jump of one of the players. See 
^'Double exchange" ; also "Even exchange." 

Single piece : A man, as distinguished from a king, 
which is a crowned piece. 

Sitting: That part of a contest which is played 
during one meeting between two contestants. 

Situation: The location of the opposing forces at 
any time. This term is more general in its application 
than "position." See "Critical Situation." 

Sivetts^s method: The course to follow in working 
a position backward to discover the game from which 
it may have sprung, as laid down in a pamphlet issued 
by B. Frank Sivetts, Oberlin, O., 1894. As in all 
attempts to apply mathematical processes to the game 
of checkers, this method works satisfactorily only in 
selected cases. 

Sixth position: This title is sometimes given to 
what is historically known as the "Mcintosh position." 

Skunk: A player is skunked in a game of checkers 
when he suffers malodorous defeat by not being able 
to get a king. 

Slip : An oversight not due to an error in knowledge 
or judgment. 

Slip Cross: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 
8-1 1, 2.y-22i, 11-16, 1 8- II, 16-20; as given in the Camp- 
bell-Reed Match Games, Glasgow, 1888. 

Slip cut : When a player allows a piece to be taken 
in order that another one may slip behind and capture 
a piece belonging to the opposing side, the manoeuvre 
is sometimes referred to as a slip cut. Compare "In- 
direct exchange." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



167 



Skunk problem: A position whose terms call for 
a win which prevents the loser from making a king. 
The solutions to curiosities of this kind are usually 
obvious to advanced players. The accompanying 
skunk problem, by L. Armstrong, Blythdale, Pa., pub- 
lished in the early nineties, is a remarkable exception, 
as it is one of the most ingenious devices of any kind 
ever placed on a checkerboard : 

SKUNK PROBLEM 



W/ W/9//(^^'7/M WMr~^ 



mmms^m w£ 



m. m 



O 



BLACK 

Black to play and Skunk White. 



Solution: For the play belonging to this position 
see the term "Solution" farther along in this book. 

Slocum stroke: This term is frequently used to 
designate that class of strokes. in which more or less 
preliminary manoeuvring is necessary to get the pieces 
into position before the exchanging begins. The skill- 
ful manner in which G. H. Slocum, of Chicago, has 



168 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



worked out this theme in many brilliant problems is 
shown in the following example: 



SLOCUM STROKE 

WHITE 




i .^..B ::.'H ^-B ^ 

m 






BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution: 30-26, 25-30, 31-27, 24-io, 23-19, 32-16, 
4-8, 30-23, 21-25, 29-22, 8-1 1. Black wins. 

Smother position: Sn "Block." 

Snare: Same as ''T 

Solid centre: Piec , Dacked un by others of the 
same color in the middle of the boaid. 

Solitary game : Persons who are more fond of talk 
than of thought occasionally refer sneeringly to check- 
ers as a solitary game. The charge is sustained by the 
facts. It is not necessary to have an opponent or 
an audience in this diversion. Many hours that others 
devote to solitary brooding are passed by checker 
lovers in solitary contentment. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 169 

Solution: The play which shows how the result 
called for is obtained. Example : Following is the solu- 
tion to the position by L. Armstrong given on a pre- 
ceding page under the term ''Skunk problem" : 23-27, 
31-24, 17-14, 18-9, 16-20, 24-19, 11-15. Black wins, 
without allowing White to get a king. 

Something new: Same as "New move." 

Sound: A correct but not necessarily strong move 
or line of play. 

Sound problem: A problem that can be solved in 
but one way, when the Dest possible replies are made 
by the opposing side. Example : A sound problem 
with the terms ''Black to play and win" cannot be 
solved by a variation created by Black. See "Dual." 

Souter: i. The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, 6-9. This title first appears in Drum- 
mond's first edition, 185 1. In Anderson's second edi- 
tion, 1852, it is spelled "Suter." Anderson explains 
the title thus: "Scotch, signifying shoemaker. The 
game has been known bv this name among players in 
Scotland for many ye "^'' is so called owing to 

its being the favorite of an • Paisley player of that 
craft." - ' 

2. Nom de plume of John Hedley, whose writings 
in the first magazine devoted exclusively to the game, 
the Draught Board, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1869, signed 
"The Souter," and in succeeding periodicals, are those 
of an accomplished essayist. He has also been affec- 
tionately and respectfully called "The Sage of Leeds." 

Spanish draughts: A king in this game may move 
one or more squares at a time (from 4 to 29, for 



170 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

instance), and may capture scattered pieces in all parts 
of the board in one jumping turn. The board is 
placed with the double corner at the left; but having 
the double corner at the right does not alter the 
play. It is compulsory to take the largest number 
of pieces possible. Otherwise Spanish draughts is the 
same as checkers. Some of the useful midgame play 
of the game of checkers is to be found in the works 
of the old Spanish authors of the sixteenth century. 
Dunne's Guide, Warrington, England, 1890, devotes 
fifteen pages to Spanish draughts, covering instruc- 
tions, games, and problems. 

Spare move: When one player is able to move a 
piece to a desired point while his opponent is making 
two separate jumps, he is said to have a spare move, 
or to gain a move. Example : If White, for instance, 
is forced to jump into Black's kingrow, wait to be 
crowned, and then capture an exposed piece, Black 
gets an opportunity to make a move at some other 
point that may enable him to capture several pieces. 

Spectacles : Same as "Lunette," and, like that term, 
seldom used by checker players, "Breeks" or 
"Breeches" being preferred. 

Squeeze the piece: Force brought to bear directly 
on a piece. Example: The Slocum stroke is charac- 
terized by the squeezing of a piece into the desired 
situation. 

Squirrel : This title for a line of the Switcher open- 
ing, formed by 11-15, 21-17, 9-i3> 23-18, is given to an 
analysis by John Bell in the New England Checker 
Flayer for May, June, and July, 1881. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 171 

Stake: The money put up by the contestants or 
their backers, as distinguished from a purse, which is 
made up by others. A trophy is not referred to as 
a stake. 

Standard board: A checkerboard of the size and 
kind called for in the Standard Laws. 

Standard Laws: Previous to the appearance of 
Anderson's second edition, 1852. the books on the 
game presented the common rules covering such points 
as the huflF, touch and move, time limit, leaving the 
room, and declaring the game drawn, but there was 
no authoritative or complete code. The Standard 
Laws given in Anderson's work derive their sanction 
from the "conjoined testimonies'' of players in Scot- 
land and England before they were published, and at 
once became the written constitution of the pastime. 

Many attacks have been made on their substance, 
and a complete overhauling by an international con- 
gress has often been called for. They have withstood 
the wear and tear of time, however, and the arrange- 
ment of them found in the "Third Edition," 1878, 
known as McCulloch's Anderson, has been adopted in 
many standard works, and continues to be accepted 
as finaL The preface to the Third Edition refers to 
Ae most important modifications made in the laws 
as originally printed in the following words: "The 
standard size of the board and men has been slightly 
increased; and the rule by which a player who might 
inadvertently touch an unplayable piece instantly for- 
feited the game has been made less harsh." 

Standard openings: This term has lost its signifi- 



172 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

cance among present-day players, owing to the general 
adoption of the two-move method of arranging play 
now in vogue. Robertson's Guide, Edinburgh, 1888, 
recognizes twenty-two names to openings, as follows: 
Ayrshire Lassie, Bristol, Centre, Cross, Defiance, 
Denny, Double Corner, Dundee, Dyke, Edinburgh, 
Fife, Glasgow, Kelso, Laird and Lady, Maid of the 
Mill, Old Fourteenth, Second Double Corner, Single 
Corner, Souter, Switcher, Whilter, Will o' the Wisp. 
Anderson's second edition, 1852, has fifteen titles, all 
of which are included in Robertson's list, with seven 
additional names not found in Anderson's work, name- 
ly : Centre, Denny, Double Corner, Dundee, Edinburgh, 
Kelso, and Switcher. 

Star move : Any move that appears w' ith an asterisk 
(*) attached to it. The star has been used for many 
diflFerent purposes, including pointing out a loss, a 
draw, a win, a strong move, a footnote, a fine position, 
an improvement in play, a king. In modern usage 
the term "star move" means the only correct move at 
a critical point where there is a choice of plausible 
moves. The star itself is sparingly employed by pres- 
ent-day editors, and many do not use it at all. 

Statement: The terms attached to a position or 
problem. In the following examples of statements, 
duplicates occasioned by substituting White for Black 
are omitted: 

Black to play and win. 

Black to play and draw. 

Black to play, White to win. 

Black to play, White to draw. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 173 

Either to play and win. 

Either to play and draw. 

Many varieties of statement are to be found in 
connection with curiosities, puzzles, and unsolved posi- 
tions, such as "Black to play and skunk," "Black to 
play and block/' "Black to play — what result?" The 
only legitimate statements for true problems are: 
"Black to play and win," or "Black to play and draw" ; 
or the same thing in terms of White. The word '"play" 
is preferred to the word "move." to avoid a possible 
quibble in case a solution starts with a capture. Com- 
pare "Propositions." 

As Black always 'moves first in games, it is consistent 
to adhere to the same custom in problems. 

Steel shot: The Laird and Lady game played as 
follows: 11-15. 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 9-13, 17-14, 10-17, 
21-14, 15-18' 19-15, 4-8, 24-19, 13-17, 28-24, 11-16, 
26-23, 16-20, 31-26, 18-22 (called "Steel's move" in 
Drummond's second edition, 1851), 25-18. 12-16, 
19-12, 7-10, 14-7, 3-28, 12-3, 2-";, 3-10, 6-31. Black 
wins. 

This famous shot is by James Steel, who has been 
referred to by James Lees as the "grand old veteran 
of Kirkconnel." An interesting account of this shot, 
with notes on similar formations springing from the 
Bristol, Kelso, and Double Corner openings, is given 
in the Draughts Players' Weekly Bulletin for Novem- 
ber 7, 1896. 

Stem: Same as trunk. Stem and branches are 
interchangeable terms with trunk and variations. 

Stewart's improvement: In his notes to game 8, 



174 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Second Double Corner opening, Ferrie-Jordan match 
of 1896, James Lees explains this term at the point 
reached by 11-15, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 8-1 i, 22-18, 
11-16, 25-22, 16-20, 22-17, 9-i3> 17-14^ etc., drawn, 
thus: "The text move (9-13) was introduced by W. 
R. Barker against R. D. Yates in 1877, the game 
resulting in a draw. In 1890, C. H. Freeman sprung 
an improvement of this game upon C. F. Barker, and 
scored a brilliant win. The following year C. F. 
Barker played Freeman's improvement against J. P. 
Reed, and scored an easy win; so the conclusion ar- 
rived at was that this (9-13) line was almost irre- 
sistible. This impression was dispelled when R. 
Stewart, of Blairadam, introduced a new defense 
against J. Ferrie in the Scottish Tourney of 1894, 
and won a fine game with the white pieces. Stewart's 
improvement is the 17-14 reply to 9-13. In the Amer- 
ican games referred to 30-25 was the move played 
here." 

Stirling: This title for the ]\Iaid of the Mill open- 
ing, 11-15, 22-17, 8-1 1, 17-13, 15-18, is given in 
Drummond's second edition, 185 1. 

Stock positions: Formations that are peculiar to 
certain openings, or that are of common occurrence 
though brought about in various ways. Examples: 
Dyke formations and Bridge positions. 

Stonewall: A popular nickname for C. F. Barker 
due to his ability as a match player. 

Strategy: The hidden design in a course of play, 
as distinguished from the open use of power, which 
is tactics. Example: First position is obtained by 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



175 



strategy, and won by tactics. Those foreign forms of 
draughts in which the king has the power to move 
all distances are largely games of tactics. 

Strickland's position: The following remarkable 
position by William Strickland, which Whyte's Prob- 
lemists' Guide, 1 90 1, analyzes through R, Bush, and 
declares to be ''more often drawn than won" : 

STRICKLAND'S POSITION 

WHITE 



W. H H %M 



y//. 



I m ■ m ■ 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



Solution (variations being omitted here) : 19-23, 
17-14, 16-19, 7-10, 20-24, 10-7, 24-27, 7-10, 27-31, 10-7, 
31-26, 7-10, 26-30, 10-7, 23-26, 7-10, 19-23, 11-15, 
26-31, 10-7, 23-26, 7-10, 30-25, 10-7, 25-21, 7-10, 26-22, 
10-7, 22-17, 7-10, 17-13, 10-6, 21-25, 15-10. 31-27, 
10-15, 27-23, 15-10, 23-19, 10-7, 19-15, ^-2, 15-11, 6-1, 
13-9, 14-10, 25-21, 10-6, 9-14, 6-9, 14-18, 9-13, 11-15, 
Black wins. Compare "Barker's triangle." 



176 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Stroke: See "Shot." Kear's Encyclopaedia, Volume 
II, Bristol, 1902, describes twelve varieties of strokes, 
and assigns the following names to them : Common 
stroke, King Square stroke. Rebound or Kiss stroke, 
Back stroke, Forced stroke, Spare Move stroke. Choice 
stroke, Opponent's Choice stroke. Manufactured or 
Fancy stroke. Placed stroke. Block stroke, Double 
stroke. Such of these terms as are in common use 
are described under their separate heads in these 
pages. 

Stroke problem: One that is solved by means of 
a stroke. 

Strong: A move or series of moves at once sound 
and aggressive. While the term strong may be ap- 
plied to any move that is soundly aggressive, good 
usage restricts it to moves whose aggressiveness is not 
immediately apparent. Example: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 
22-17, 5-9. The last move, 5-9, which completes the 
Fife opening, was shown by Wyllie in 1847 to be a 
strong move. 

Student: One who occupies an intermediate posi- 
tion between the novice and the expert class, par- 
ticularly one who follows new play with a critical eye. 

Study: Same as "Task problem"; also applied to 
positions presented in the guise of problems with the 
terms, "What result?" A critical situation in actual 
play with a known result is occasionally referred to 
as a fine study. 

Sturges's Slip- Cross stroke: The stroke occurring 
at the close of the following game: 11-15, 23-18, 8-1 1, 
27-23, 11-16, 18-11, 16-20, 24-19, 7-16, 22-18, 4-8, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 177 

25-22, 8-1 1, 29-25, 10-14, i9-i5> 3-8, 22-17, 20-24 (the 
stroke), 17-10, 16-20, 28-19, 9-14, 18-9, 11-27, 32-23, 
6-24, 25-22, 5-14. Black wins. 

Subscription match: One played for a purse, the 
prize money not being furnished by the contestants ; 
commonly supposed to be an affair of lighter import- 
ance than a set match for a stake furnished by the 
players or their backers. 

Sunderland: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, I4"i8; according to the nomenclature in 
Dunne's Guide, 1890. This title was also mentioned 
in the Draught Board for July, 1869, and in the 
Recreationist in 1874. 

Suspected opening: One whose soundness is 
doubted by experts, owing to the absence of proof. 
The Second Double Corner, for example, was for 
many years classed as a suspected opening, but its 
soundness was finally established. 

Sustain the draw: Proving the draw to be correct, 
by upsetting contentions to the contrary. 

Swap: Colloquial for ''Exchange." 

Switcher: The opening formed by 11-15, 21-17. 
This title first appears over a game between Wyllie 
and McDonald in the Draught Board for June, 1869. 
The origin of the title is given by James Wyllie in 
his Switcher book, published in Glasgow in 1881, thus: 

"The Switcher was so named by my esteemed and 
dear old friend, Mr. George Wallace, of Glasgow, and 
it was not inappropriately titled, for with that weak 
and apparently silly opening I have switched and per- 
plexed many an eminent player — especially before 



1 78 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

publishing the match games played with Martins in 
1864; indeed, I have probably won more games by 
this particular opening than by any other opening 
upon the board." 

The title ''Switcher" was not used in the book of 
the 1864 match. 

Switcher controversy: An Ohio player by the 
name of J. W. Brock believed he had made some 
startling discoveries regarding the soundness of the 
Switcher opening. R. E. Bowen, in the New England 
Checker Player for March, 1879, made this announce- 
ment : 

"A critical point seems to have been reached in the 
29-25 move of the Switcher. This, however, has 
nothing to do with 17-14 being a loser. I now offer 
Mr. Brock $10 to show 17-14 at the sixth move of the 
Switcher a loser." At the conclusion of his article 
on this subject Bowen says: *T will give $5 to the 
person who shall put an invincible draw into Mr. 
Dunlap's hands after this move." The move referred 
to is the 29-25 move, introduced in the following 
manner: 11-15, 21-17, 9-13, 25-21, 8-11, 17-14, 10-17, 
21-14, 6-10, 22-17, 13-22, 26-17, 15-18, 29-25. 

Brock's claim and Bowen's offers brought on the 
most remarkable of all checker controversies. Players 
and analysts on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean got 
their opinions into print, and Wyllie and Martins were 
brought together in their famous Switcher match in 
1880, the object of which was to settle the controversy. 
It was a friendly subscription match of twenty games, 
each playing against the 29-25 move in turn. Wyllie 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 1 79 

won four games and Martins one, all with the black 
pieces. The conclusion arrived at was that the 29-25 
move was sound but weak. The credit for having 
proved the 29-25 move to be sound for a draw was 
finally conceded to belong to three separate demonstra- 
tors: Heffner, Hefter, and Wyllie. 

Switcher-Dyke: The opening formed by the char- 
acteristic moves of the Dyke and the Switcher open- 
ings, thus: 11-15, 21-17, 15-19. This title is usually 
applied to the opening formed by five moves, thus: 
11-15, 21-17, 9-14^ 25-21, 15-19, which produces the 
same formation as the Double Corner Dyke, thus : 9-14, 
22-17, 11-16, 25-22, 16-19; and the Dyke-Switcher, 
thus: 11-15, 22-17, 9-i4» 25-22, 16-19. 

System: The four columns of squares starting 
from one kingrow are one system; the four columns 
of squares starting from the opposite kingrow are the 
other system. The systems are sometimes distin- 
guished as Black and White, or as Right and Left 
systems. It makes no difference, of course, whether 
a system is defined as every other vertical column or 
as every other horizontal row of squares. The thirty- 
two squares of the checkerboard are regarded as two 
separate systems for the purpose of explaining ''the 
move." 



Tables: The old English name of the backgammon 
board. Draughts was early described as ''the game 
played on the outside of a pair of tables." As the 



180 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

same pieces are used in both games, the term "tables" 
has been identified with draughts. 

Tactics: See "Strategy." 

Take: The capture of one or more pieces. Exam- 
ple: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 26-17; the last capture, 26-17, 
being distinguished as the "side take" of the Single 
Corner opening. 

Task problem: A position involving so much in- 
tricate play that it requires analysis over the board; 
as opposed to a true problem, that should be solved 
without moving the pieces. 

Team match: A contest between two squads of 
players, each having a captain or leader. 

Technical draw: A position conceded by experts 
to be a draw, if properly played. Example : "Martins's 
rest." 

Teller: The go-between in a blindfold exhibition, 
who announces the moves of the players at the boards, 
and makes the moves called out by the blindfold 
player. 

Terms: See "Statement." 

Theme: The main idea on which a problem is con- 
structed; the kernel of the position. 

Theory of the move: The idea of the power of one 
piece over another in case they are played to a point 
where they are opposite each other. The theory is not 
changed by the distance between the pieces, or by a 
confined situation, and applies to any number of pieces 
taken together or individually. Example: Moving a 
man into the upper square of the double corner, where 
it becomes blocked by an opposing piece in the lower 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



181 



square of the double corner, shifts the move in effect, 
but not in theory. 

In the case of unequal pieces W. T. Call has pointed 
out that by placing a dummy piece, as a mere counter, 
on the single corner square of the side having one 
less piece than the opposing side, the question of who 
has the move may be settled in the regular way. It 
will thus be seen that in Payne's draw the defending 
side has the move, while in Tregaskis's draw, the 
attacking side has the move. The reverse would be 
the case if the imaginary piece had been located on 
8 instead of 4. See "Holding the man" ; also "Driving 
the king out." 

Third position: The following position by W. W. 
Avery, New York, is now universally called Third 
position, having been so designated in Anderson's third 
edition, 1878: 

THIRD POSITION 

WHITE 




BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



182 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Solution (variations being omitted here) : 13-9, 
22-18, 9-6, 18-22, 6-1, 22-18, 21-25, 18-15, 1-6, 14-17, 
6-2, 17-14, 25-22, 15-10, 22-26, 14-18, 5-9, 10-6, 9-13, 
6-10, 26-31, 10-14, 31-27, 18-22, 2^-21, 22-25, 2-y, 

2S-22, 7-1 I, 22-25, II-I5, 25-22, 23-27, 22-26, 27-24, 

26-22, 24-20, 22-26, 20-16, 26-22, 16-12, 22-26, 12-8, 
26-22, 8-3, 14-9, 15-10. Black wins. 

In Anderson's second edition, 1852, "3rd Position" 
is the following situation by Payne, 1756: 

BY WILLIAM PAYNE 

WHITE 



% 


s 


i 


mm. 




m 


1 s 




1 


^ 






m i 


p 






i i 




'9/ 


i 


^ 






di 


lyi 






H 1 


P 




1 


p 


W/ 


9 


i 


p@> 


io 


i 


1 1 


m 


mmmx 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 6-9, 15-18, 9-13, 18-22, 13-9, 14-18, 9-13. 
Drawn. 

Threatening: A move the intention of which is 
unmistakably to make trouble. Before making a move 
a player tries to discover what his opponent "threat- 
ens" to do in reply. 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 183 

Three A's: The three players, Avery, Adamson, 
and Allen, who were variously credited in 1876 with 
the discovery of Third position. The outcome of the 
discussion was that no doubt remained that credit for 
this position belongs to \V. W. Avery, of New York. 

Thompson's mathematical system: A net for 
catching checker gudgeons baited thus: 



PLAY CHECKERS. Something new and 
strange : a mathematical system ; tells correct 
move every time ; learn it and nobody can beat 
you. The true secret of the game. It leaves 
your opponent at your mercy. Price 25 cents, 
12 or more 7 cents each. J. C. Thompson, 
Thyre, Ga. 



The plausible features of the ''system'' to the un- 
wary were that the moves of one player "reflected" 
the correct replies to the uninitiated. The basis was 
"subtracting the number of the square to be vacated 
from the number of the square to be moved to." For 
example, the move 11-15 reflects 23-19, because the 
common difference is 4. The originator said he had 
received a "peck of quarters" from ambitious learners. 
Schaefer's Qieckerist for July, 1901, contains an 
account of this scheme. 

Three-minute rule: The time allowed to move, 
according to Sturges, 1800, and most of his successors 
up to the adoption of the five-minute rule laid down 



184 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

in the Standard Laws, 1852. Under the three-minute 
rule a player was allowed four minutes' grace when 
called upon to play. 

Throw the piece: See "Sacrifice." 

Ticket Tournament: One in which tickets are 
used as wagers. The method in some clubs is to sell 
any number of tickets to members at a nominal rate, 
say, one cent each; losers to deposit two tickets in 
a box provided for the purpose, winners none, each 
to put in one ticket for a draw. At the end of any 
fixed period the record of all the contestants is made 
up from the contents of the box. Each participant 
should play a stipulated number of games with all 
the other ticket holders. 

Tie: A term sometimes used by players as meaning 
a drawn contest. In Great Britain this term is fre- 
quently employed in the sense of two players paired 
together in a round of a tournament. 

Tillicoultry: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
8-1 1, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18. This title appears in the 
Draught Players' Weekly Magazine, March 7, 1885, 
over a game between W. Strickland and G. Snedden. 
Lees's Guide, 1892, says : "The late Mr. Strickland 
suggested that the title 'Tillicoultry' might be given 
to this opening, in compliment to the celebrated Scotch 
player, Mr. Moir, who is a native of that town." 

Time: The warning given to a player that the 
limit of time allowed him to make his move is at 
hand. See also "Losing time." 

Time limit: The number of minutes a player may 
devote to a single move. Attempts have been made 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 185 

to change the standard time Hmit of five minutes to 
a move to a fixed number of moves per hour, thus 
allowing the time to be used as desired. The old 
five-minute rule continues, however, to prevail, on the 
plea that the game of checkers is so exact it is ''robbing 
Peter to pay Paul" to distribute the time unevenly ; 
also because it promotes carelessness ; also because a 
player whose faculty of concentration has not been 
trained down to the five-minute rule is not properly 
equipped for match playing. See ''Timing clocks." 

Timing clocks: A pair of clocks used to confine 
a player to a minimum number of moves per hour 
(usually twenty), thus allowing him to utilize his time 
as he pleases. When a player moves he taps a lever 
which stops his own clock and starts his opponent's 
clock going. See "Time limit." 

Tonar's Board: The first fourteen numbers of the 
magazine called the Draught Board, by J. Tonar, 
Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1869. See also "Patterson's 
Board." 

Tonar's scale: A handicapping list of thirteen 
grades, showing the odds to be allowed by players 
in one class to those in the next lower class. This 
scale, by J. Tonar, was published in 1869, and was 
republished in Dunne's Guide, Kear's Sturges, and 
several other works on the game. 

Touch and move: The law requiring a contestant 
to move the piece he touches if it is playable. 

Tournament: A contest in which several players 
meet as individual combatants, each being paired in 
turn with the others. 



186 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Tourney: Same as "Tournament." 

Toying: A producer of analyzed play who manu- 
factures unnecessary difficulties for the purpose of 
exploiting his own cleverness is said to be guilty of 
toying with the game. This species of useless play 
clogs the records. It is an axiom that one way to 
win is sufficient. It is also clear that trifling with 
a draw that cannot be improved is not good checkers, 
and impedes the progress of novices seeking informa- 
tion. That which is not useful play is better left 
unpublished. 

Trade: Same as "Exchange." 

Transposition: The same moves that produced an 
opening or a position following one another in a dif- 
ferent order from that given. Example: 11-15, 23-19, 
9-14, 22-17, 7-1 1' is the same as 9-14, 22-17, ii-i5» 
23-19, 7-1 1. These moves may be transposed or inter- 
changed in several other ways. Compare "Reversion." 

Trap: A disastrous situation into which a player 
may be enticed. Example: the "Goose walk." Many 
of the well-known traps have names by which they 
are commonly known. John T. Denvir's Traps and 
Shots, Chicago, 1905, shows more than 200 historical 
situations of the kind. 

Tricks: See "Puzzles." 

Tricky move: One that may be easily met, but 
is all powerful if its purpose is not discovered in 
time. 

Trunk : The first column of play, or complete game, 
from which the variations spring: sometimes called 
trunk game. In books having the play arranged in 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



187 



columns the word "Game" usually appears at the 
top of the first column, meaning trunk. 

Tregaskis's draw: The following important posi- 
tion by J. H. Tregaskis, Truro, England : 



TREGASKISS Dl 


lAW 




WHITE 




W/ 




B 


i 


J » » 


B 






B 


i 


IQB B 


B 




B B 










B B® 


B 


1 


'% M M 


B 



BLACK 

Black to play and draw. 



Solution: 6-i, 11-15, 10-14, 15-11, 14-10, 19-23, 1-6, 
23-26, 6-1, 26-22, 10-14, 11-16, 1-6, 16-19, 6-10, 19-23, 
10-15, 23-26, 15-10, 26-30, 10-6, 30-25, 6-10, 25-21, 
10-6, 22-17, 6-10. Drawn. 

Kear's Sturges, page 249, gives a complete analysis 
of this famous position set back to its earliest stage. 
Compare "Roger's draw." 

The original Tregaskis position is given in the 
Recreationist, Leeds, England, for August, 1874, 
where it is awarded the competition prize offered in 
a previous number of that magazine. 



188 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Turkish draughts : This game has httle in common 
with the game of checkers. The board is composed 
of sixty-four squares of the same color, all of which 
are used. Each side has sixteen pieces. The men 
move one square at a time, perpendicularly or hori- 
zontally, but not diagonally. A king may move or 
jump one or more squares at a time. It is a fascinat- 
ing game, well adapted to all grades of ability. The 
overpowering strength of the king, however, greatly 
reduces the science of the endings as compared with 
those of checkers. 

Dimne's Guide and Kear's Sturges give full ex- 
planations of how to play the game. There are at 
least two native treatises devoted exclusively to this 
fine pastime. 

Turn the Corner: This title for the Glasgow open- 
ing, 11-15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 11-16, was given in 
Anderson's first edition, 1848. 

Twenty-move rule: An agreement which fixes the 
number of moves to be made by either side in an hour 
as not less than twenty. See "Time limit." 

Twins: The same formation with two different 
statements; for instance, "Black to play and win," 
or "White to play and draw." See "Companion prob- 
lems"; also "Bowen's twins." 

Two by two's: Problems in which there are but 
four pieces on the board, two of each color. How 
many two by two problems have been published is not 
known to a certainty, but compilers believe there are 
at least 300, not counting duplicates. In a choice col- 
lection of 127 of these problems, all stated in terms 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



189 



of black, four have the terms, Black to play, White to 
draw ; two have the terms. Black to play, White to 
win. The following table shows the results for the 
remaining 121 regular problems; M standing for man, 
K for king: 



Black rs. White 


B wins 


B draws 


MM vs. MM 


4 


I 


MM z-s. MK 


2 


17 


MM vs. KK 





4 


:mk vs. m:\i 


47 


I 


MK vs. MK 


21 


7 


MK vs. KK 





6 


KK vs. ^IM 


4 





KK vs. MK 


7 





KK vs. KK 








Totals 


85 


36 



Tv^^o-move restriction: The universal method used 
among present-day experts to determine what open- 
ings shall be played in a contest. A supplementary 
leaf to the edition of Lees's Guide published in 1907, 
explains the custom succinctly thus : 

"This restriction was introduced by the English and 
Scottish Draughts Associations in order to obviate 



/ 



190 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

repetition in opening games, so that players might 
be compelled to adopt original lines of play, and thus 
rely more on their skill than on memory in playing. 
The system of deciding what openings shall be played 
is as follows: In commencing to play there are seven 
possible moves for Black to make and seven possible 
replies for White; thus forty-nine openings could be 
formed by these combinations. It was, however, con- 
sidered that six of these openings so formed were un- 
tenable, thus leaving forty-three as the recognized 
standard openings. The rejected ones are: 9-14, 
21-17; 10-14, 21-17; 9-14, 23-18; 10-14, 23-18; 11-16, 
23-19; 12-16, 23-19. 

"The method of deciding which opening shall be 
played is by ballot, thus: Write on separate pieces of 
paper all the possible moves for Black, namely, 9-13, 
9-14, 10-14, 10-15, 11-16, 12-16; put them into a bag, 
and then draw one out. The White moves, 21-17, 
22-17, 22-18, 23-18, 23-19, 24-19, 24-20, are treated 
in the same manner, and the two moves drawn out 
form the opening, and must be played ; but should one 
of the untenable moves, such as 9-14, 21-17, t)e drawn, 
the ballot must again be resorted to." 

The initial move of each is determined in various 
ways. The practice in some clubs is to write the 
forty-three moves on cards or small blocks, and de- 
termine the opening at one drawing. Another way 
is to put the seven Black moves in one receptacle and 
the seven White replies in another, letting each player 
draw his own move. Another way is to use only 
seven cards, blocks, or ballots, embracing the Black 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 191 

moves only, the White repHes being determined by 
reversion; if White draws 9-13, for instance, his move 
is 24-20, the reverse of 9-13. 

In the absence of ballots a book may be opened at 
random, and the move for Black determined, as shown 
by W. T. Call, thus : 

Divide the number of the right hand page by 7. 
The remainder indicates Black's move, thus: i, 2, 3, 
4, 5, 6, o, indicate respectively 9-13, 9-14. 10-14, 10-15, 
11-15, 11-16, 12-16. For example, if the page number 
is 83, Black's move is 11-16, because 8^ divided by 7 
leaves a remainder of 6. White's move is determined 
in the same way, by reversion. The remainders occur 
throughout the book in the following order: i, 3, 5, 
o, 2, 4, 6. 

There are also various mechanical devices for ar- 
riving at the moves by chance, such as teetotums, 
seven-sided blocks, and dials with whirling pointers. 
The objection to these is that some players are an- 
noyed by the possibility of there being some tricky 
way of using the device, or some defect in it. As a 
general thing each player prefers to choose his own 
move by pure chance, and have his opponent do the 
same. 

Owing to the rapid way in which the two-move 
restriction has been sifted to its necessary lines, the 
possibility of a three-move and four-move restriction 
has been suggested by some writers. In the Draughts 
World for December, 1907, H. F. Shearer, of Dundee, 
is quoted as saying: 

*T believe the two-move restriction is going the way 



192 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

of its predecessors. The topsawyers have it all at 
their finger ends, and the man who knows his book 
takes the £20 in the national tourneys." 

Two principal games: The Old Fourteenth and 
the Single Corner openings have been so called in 
some handbooks for learners, because they have been 
the most popular with the general run of players for 
more than a century. 

Two solutions: Two distinctly different ways of 
solving a problem, whether starting at the initial move 
of the solution or at a decisive point in the body of 
the solution. See "Dual." 

Tyne: The opening formed by 10-15, 21-17, 9"I3 5 
according to the nomenclature given in the Draught 
Board for May, 1869. 

Tyro: A beginner or novice. 

U 

Uncle Toby : Nom de plume of W. H. McLaughlin, 
an American writer of reminiscent checker sketches. 

Unrestricted : Not confined to any particular open- 
ing or set of openings ; go as you please. See "Re- 
striction." 

Unsound: Play that has been proved to be in- 
correct. 

Untenable: A move that is regarded as giving an 
opponent so much the better of the position that it 
is not worth while to try it. Six of the forty-nine 
possible two-move openings are rejected as untenable, 
namely: 9-14, 21-17; 10-14, 21-17; 9-14, 23-18; 10-14, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 193 

23-18; 11-16, 23-19; 12-16, 23-19. The term un- 
tenable does not imply a demonstrated loss. 

Up his sleeve: A winning or strong line of un- 
published play held as a secret by one of the con- 
testants. 

Uphill game: One in which the opposing player 
retains the advantage. 

Upside down maxims: Some checker chatterers 
delight in topsy-turvy sayings of the following order: 
If you move a piece you must touch it. Never allow 
business to interfere with checkers. Make your move 
and then look at it carefully. A good excuse is equal 
to a draw. Never look for a win if you think you 
can draw. The better the player the greater the 
talker. 



Vantage: Same as "Opposition." 

Var. : Variation. 

Variation: Any branch of the play that may be 
traced back to the trunk. It is usual to number the 
variations and subvariations. Letters were employed 
for the same purpose by some of the earlier authors. 

Virginia: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 
10-14; as mentioned in the Recreationist in 1874, 
the New England Checker Player in 1876, and in 
Janvier's Anderson in 1881. The name ''World" was 
afterward applied to this opening by M. F. Clouser 
in the New York World. 

Virgin^s fortress: See "La Pucelle." 



194 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Volunteer: This name for the Switcher opening, 
as formed by 11-15, 21-17, 9-i3» 25-21, 8-1 1, is given 
in volume two of Drummond's fourth edition, 1866. 
A line of this opening, produced by 11- 15, 23-19, 8-1 1, 
22-17, 9-13' 25-22, called Laird and Lady refused, has 
also been called Volunteer, because the same situation 
is brought up under that title by Drummond, thus: 
11-15, 21-17, 9-i3» 25-21, 8-11, 23-19. 



W 

W.: White. 

Wagram: The opening formed by 11-15, 22-17, 
9-13, 24-20; as given in volume two of Drummond's 
fourth edition, 1866. According to the nomenclature 
of the Draught Board for ^lay, 1869, the opening 
is formed by three moves, 11-15, 22-17, 9"i3.' ^^ 
analysis of a line of which is given in the following 
June number, proceeding thus: 11-15, 22-17, 9-13, 
17-14. 

Waiting move: A safe move of negative design 
other than to cause an opponent to ''show his hand," 
or commit himself to some particular line of play. 
Example: 11-15, 23-19, 7-1 1, 22-17, 9-14, 25-22, 11-16, 
26-23, 5-9, 17-13, 3-7, 29-25, the last move, 29-25, 
being a waiting move. A waiting move should be 
sound, but it may or may not be the best move. 
Waiting moves occur in midgames and endings as 
well as in the earHer stages of games. 

Waiting stroke: One in v.hich a piece moves into 
position to complete the stroke, and waits for the 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 195 

opposing side to capture an exposed piece. Compare 
**Slocum stroke." 

Warned: Notified by the umpire that the time al- 
lowed for making a move has expired. 

Washerwoman: Same as "Goose walk." 

Waterloo: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-18, 
8-1 1, 18-14. So named in Lees's Guide, 1892. 

W. C. B.: World's Checker Book, by the Barker 
brothers, Boston, 1879. 

Weak move: One that (in the opinion of the critic) 
lessens the chances of success, whether the player is 
trying for a draw or a win. 

Weak opening: One that is supposed to be un- 
favorable to the player adopting it, because of afford- 
ing him few opportunities for winning, but many for 
losing. The term weak opening is largely relative in 
its application. A player who is thoroughly posted 
on the possibilities of any tenable opening is not apt 
to concede that it is weak. See "Suspected openings." 

What result : Positions occasionally appear in print 
with the terms stated as follows : "Black to play ; 
what result ?" or "White to play ; what result ?" This 
practice is not regarded with favor, even when the 
caption "A Study" is used. 

What's the good of it: This question is often 
thought and sometimes asked by those who are not 
interested in the game of checkers. The correct reply 
is that it is an antidote to ennui. Being a pastime, its 
value as a mental discipline is not insisted on. Its 
unrivalled utility as a diversion not confined to any 
age or condition is reflected in the following remark 



196 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

by a bystander watching two old men playing check- 
ers : "When we look at a lot of enthusiastic footballers 
we wonder how they will enjoy their favorite recrea- 
tion at the advanced age of 85." 

Whilter: The opening formed by 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 
22-17, 7-1 1. The first appearance of this title is in 
Anderson's first edition, 1848, where it is spelled 
"Whulter." In Anderson's second edition, 1852, this 
title is explained authoritatively as follows: "The 
Whilter is formed by the first five moves (Whilter or 
Wolter; Scotch, signifying an overturning, a change 
productive of confusion). About fourteen years ago 
this game became a great favorite of Messrs. George 
Inglis, Peter Taylor, and John ^McArthur, of Glasgow, 
the last of whom gave it its present name." 

Nine different ways of spelling this title have been 
used by various writers. The characteristic move of 
the Whilter is 7-1 1, and some authors have regarded 
the opening as formed by three moves, thus: 11-15, 
23-19, 7-1 1. In all there are eighteen ways, ranging 
from three to eleven moves, in which compilers have 
produced what they termed "Whilter." 

Whilter-Cross : The opening formed by 11-15, 
23-19, 7-1 1, 26-23, 3-7, 23-18; according to the nomen- 
clature in Dunne's Guide, 1890. 

Whilter-Exchange : The opening formed by 11-15, 
23-19, 7-1 1, 22-18; according to Gould's Match Games, 
1888, and Lees's Guide, 1892. 

White: The lighter colored pieces, as distinguished 
from those of the opposing side. 

White Doctor: The opening formed by 11-16, 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



197 



22-18, 10-14, 25-22, 8-1 1, 24-20, 16-19, 23-16, 14-23, 
26-19. Named by John Robertson in the Draught 
Board for July, 1870. 

White Dyke: The opening formed by 11- 15, 22-17, 
8-1 1, 17-14. This title was given to the opening in 
the McKerrow-Martins Match Games book, published 
in London and Glasgow in 1859. 

White for choice: The White side regarded as 
having the advantage if there is any. 

White Glasgow: The opening formed by 11-16, 
22-18, 10-14, 25-22, 8-1 1, 22-17; as suggested by 
Henry Hutzler, of Cincinnati. 

Wilder's monument: The following fine problem 
by C. M. Wilder, Chelsea, Mass., has been so called 
in memory of his enthusiasm and ability : 



WILDER'S MONUMENT 

WHITE 



iJ^B.^«p 



% V//M 



f. «"""»» 



'///. 









•■^■J—^ 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 



198 VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 

Solution: 5-1, 6-2, 16-20, -j-^, 4-8, 2-7, 8-1 1. Black 
wins. 

Wiggle the king: To continue to move it to and 
fro from the same squares, usually for the purpose 
of avoiding exposure to attack, as in a "See-saw" 
draw. See '*La Pucelle." 

Will Borland : The Single Corner opening extended 
as follows: 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18, 8-1 1, 29-25, 4-8, 
18-14. So named in Drummond's third edition, 1861. 

Will o* the Wisp: The opening formed by 11-15, 
23-19, 9-13. Anderson's second edition, 1852, gives 
the origin of this title thus: "It was so named by 
Mr. George Wallace, an esteemed friend of the 
author." 

Win on position: An ending in which the power 
lies in the situation of the pieces, rather than in the 
number of kings or men, is sometimes referred to as 
one that the player may win on position. 

Wings: The nine squares on either side of the 
double diagonal. This term does not belong to the 
game of checkers, but has been used in handbooks 
embracing other games played on a checkerboard. 

Winning game: The ordinary game, as distin- 
guished from the "Losing game." 

Wins and draws to count: Each game, whether 
won or drawn, to be reckoned as one in the total 
number to be played. When the drawn games are not 
to be counted, the match is not completed until a fixed 
number of wins has been secured by one of the con- 
testants. If the number agreed upon is three wins, 
the condition is known as "three wins up." 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 199 

Wins up: See "Wins and draws to count"; also 
"Games up." 

Witch: This title for the Cross opening, 11-15, 
23-18, was given in Anderson's first edition, 1848, 
the first four moves being 11-15, 23-18, 8-1 1, 26-23. 

Woburn: This name for the Centre opening, 11-15, 
23-19, 8-1 1, 22-17, 15-18, was given by R. A. Davis, 
of Woburn, Mass., as noted in the New England 
Checker Player for July, 1876. 

Wolfville: The Denny opening extended as fol- 
lows: 10-14, 23-19, 7-10, 19-15. So named by William 
Forsyth, of Halifax, N. S., in the New England 
Checker Player for April, 1879, in compliment to the 
players of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. 

World opening: See "Virginia." 

W. P. B. : World's Problem Book, by L. M. Stearns, 
West Derry, N. H., 1901. 

Wyllie move: An unusual move of deep signifi- 
cance. So called because of Wyllie's success with 
moves of his own discovery or invention. 

Wyllie's Invincible: The title given to the Second 
Double Corner opening, 11-15, 24-19, in Anderson's 
first edition, 1848. It is there called "Wyllie's invin- 
cible game." 

Wyllie's Switcher shot : The moves of the game in 
which this shot occurs are as follows: 11-15, 21-17, 
9-13, 25-21, 8-1 1, 17-14, 10-17, 21-14, 6-10, 22-17, 
13-22, 26-17, 15-18, 24-20, 2-6, 28-24, 4-8, 29-25, 11-15, 
30-26, 6-9, 24-19 (the shot), 15-24, 20-16, 12-19, 27-20, 
18-27, 31-6, 9-18, 26-22. White wins. 

Wyllie's kings: The following position by James 



200 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 



Wyllie is remarkable from the fact that three kings 
opposed by three kings can form so excellent a prob- 
lem : 



WYLLIE'S KINGS 

WHITE 






iS» 



BLACK 

Black to play and win. 

Solution: 23-19, 22-17, 30-26, 17-14, 26-23, 14-9, 
23-18, 9-5, 18-14, 5-1, 14-9, 1-5, 9-6, 5-1, 19-16. Black 
wins. 



Yates's Defiance move: The 12-16 move in the 
Defiance opening referred to in Lees's Guide, 1892, 
as "the famous move by which Yates beat Wyllie in 
1876." Thus: 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 27-23, 8-1 1, 22-18, 
15-22, 25-9, 5-14, 29-25, 6-9, 25-22, 9-13, 24-20, 1-5, 
22-18, 14-17, 21-14, 10-17, 18-14, 17-22, 26-17, 13-22, 
28-24, 2-6, 32-28, 12-16 (the move referred to). 



VOCABULARY OF CHECKERS 201 

Y. D. P.: Yorkshire Draught Player, a magazine 
by C. Powell, Howden, England, 1879. 

Young player: One who is young in experience, 
whether youthful in years or not. 



Zephyrus : The opening formed by the single move, 
9-14, according to the nomenclature suggested by 
John Hedley in the Draught Board for January, 1870. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



1 

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